The Tale of Arcmelos - And The Last Olympian
by Arcmelos
Summary: This is the rewrite of the third story, following Arc's story through 3rd Person view of the events leading up to, during and after The Last Olympian with a few alterations along the way. If you haven't read the first two rewrites they will help!
1. Chapter 1

**All rights go to the original author of the series for Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympus, I am only writing these for fun! Enjoy and rate. This is the third rewrite of Arc's tale.  
**

Chapter 1 - Near-Death Experience

The months went by fast for them all. He was asked to race full time for the Ferrari AF Corsa team for the full season of the ELMS, impressed with his performance last year. The season went relatively well coming through to Le Mans itself. It was the Thirteenth of June a few days after Percy's mission to rid Luke of his main base of Operations, the cruise ship he'd commandeered at the beginning of this war.

Arc was tasked to help his brother in his endeavour, saddened to hear about the death of Beckendorf who took his place, too preoccupied with his commitment to racing for the year. It was coming up for his stint, once again in the early hours of the morning pouring with rain. Much to his satisfaction, he was the faster of the two other drivers in the wet and at night, watching as the Ferrari drove down the pits, jumping in patting his teammate's shoulder and vice versa.

He peeled out of his stop after the front bumper was changed, more fuel and fresh wet tyres put on the car. It was all going well, knowing that everyone was watching back at camp, Chiron allowing them to watch on the screen he'd put up last Summer, showing the few campers the events happening on Mt St Helens. It turned over to three in the morning when the incident happened, an hour into his stint. He felt it before he saw it, his reactions not quick enough for the collision.

He kept left on the racing line, the fast-approaching LMP1 car behind him misjudging the stopping distance and speed comparison of the two cars as they came down to Indianapolis. He was shunted, fast and heavily into the corner, flying towards the tyre stack in front of him. The cars sudden change in speed on impact with the LMP, caused the rear to come loose, his wheels skimming the grass before the wheels dug into the gravel.

Debris showered the corner as he collided with the wall heavily, the LMP getting away relatively unscathed. His visibility was nothing but black, embedded into the tyre wall upside down. He struggled for breath, the air forced from his lungs at the high impact, scarcely hearing his team talking over the radio.

"Jackson. You alright?" He heard his engineer over the radio. His consciousness was starting to fade as he felt the blood rushing to his head, his eyes starting to close. The last thing he heard was a panicked voice from Thalia, calling his name.

He came too about twenty minutes later, looking around him at the medical wing, hearing a bustle of people outside his room calling for others to get a car ready to get to the nearest hospital. He glanced to his right to the chair beside him, where his Protector sat, who had been his acting driver trainer all season.

"Hedge." He croaked, looking to him. The Satyr, Hedge, had a bit of a soft spot for the Teenager in the bed, seeing the ferocity that he emitted seeing himself in the teenager.

"You'll be fine, Arc. Try not to speak for a few minutes." Hedge smiled softly, feeding him Nectar through a drinking straw, feeling the energy lost returning slowly with every passing second. "A few cracked ribs and a sprained wrist, the crash happened so quickly you didn't let go of the steering wheel in time." Hedge told him, glancing up to the doorway seeing the nurse come in, thankful it was a son of Apollo.

"You'll be alright, Arc. Just keep drinking that and you'll be up in no time. We'll explain it off as grogginess which is what you'll feel as well as the numbing pain of your injuries." He explained, looking towards him. Arc looked up to the TV screen hung on the wall, watching the clean up still happening, the barrier repair lorry with fixing the battered barrier. He watched the replay of his car as it was placed on the back of the flatbed before it was driven off down the road avoiding the other cars. It swapped back to the multitude of marshals sweeping and picking up debris, drying up the spilt oil that leaked from his car as he was shunted, the tyre barrier being put back in place.

He swung his leg out of bed, ignoring the nurse and Hedge as he stood, stretching, hissing in pain as he flexed his wrist and hurting his healing ribs.

"I want to get back to camp." He explained, finding his clothes, slipping them on in the bathroom, ignoring the pain as he donned his race polo shirt and black trousers, slipping Annabeth's Christmas gift back on his feet as he made his way to the garage. His team greeted him, bringing him into a light hug as his engineer looked over him.

"How're you feeling?" His engineer wondered an expression of worry etched on his face. He nodded sighing, the breath struggling to come out.

"Sore. How bad was the crash?" He wondered, looking at the car back in the garage under the covers.

"Bad. Everything had caved in, the fuel tank was ruptured and promptly drained as soon as we got it back for fear of it going up again." His heart stopped briefly, fearing what the others were thinking when they saw the aftermath.

Or worse. Actually watching it happen.

He nodded for him to continue. "The roll cage held up luckily. We found a crack in the welding that was something we worried about when we got it back, hoping it was after the crash and not before because that put everyone's lives at risk. It's going to be a full rebuild ready for the thousand KM of Algarve." Arc nodded, looking under the covers, seeing the door missing, the roof partially caved in and the rear end of the car looking the same way, the entire rear right caved in with the wheel missing, burn marks around the rear of the car.

He cringed looking over the car, realisation coming over him that he was inside that car.

"Sorry about that, if I'd known this was going to happen I would've moved over and let him pass sooner than let him do it himself. How was he?" He wondered staring up at the team, the other two drivers stood beside his engineer the same concern on their faces.

"It wasn't your fault, it wasn't overly his fault either. The speed difference does come into play and it's an easy mistake to make. He, however, was fine, he managed to get the car up and running again back to the pits and is running in sixth in his class at the moment." His engineer explained. Arc nodded, looking over everyone, the yellow flag still waving for the cleanup process.

"Okay, I'm going to do my interview of the events and then make my way home if that's alright, nurses told me to rest up in a comfortable environment." He explained. His engineer nodded bring him into a quick hug once more.

"Okay mate, no worries. Rest up and I'll see you at Algarve if not sooner. Glad you're alright." He smiled kindly. Arc nodded, looking over his team watching as they hung around, their last car still in the running of the race. He made his way down to the Oreca garage, the team that shunted him out of the race. They'd done a driver change, making his way over to the driver that hit him.

"Sorry about that." Arc sighed, shaking the guy's hand.

"No, don't worry about it. Just glad to see you're alright." He commented. Arc nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, just a few cracked ribs and sprained wrist is all. Just have to hope the sister car does well." He grinned. He excused himself from the garage, walking out into the pouring rain once more, allowing himself to get wet as to not arouse suspicion. He made his way to the press area, all cameras on him and flashes of light constantly around him as he went over the events of the crash, before and after, describing everything and that he harboured no ill feelings to the other driver that hit him. He caught up with Hedge at his Mustang a small smile on his face.

"Come on, Cupcake. Let's get you back to camp." Hedge smiled. He decided to let Hedge drive them out of the main gates, mainly because he wasn't meant to be driving and couldn't with his current healing wrist. They headed into the direction of the hotel he'd checked out of the day before, Mist Travelling to camp with the little energy he had as they drove down a dark country road, biting into a small square of Ambrosia.

They appeared outside his Cabin, feeling drained after the massive exertion of energy he used and lacked getting to camp. Hedge chucked him his car key, catching it with his good hand, the other still in its sling, as he pointed over his shoulder.

"I'm going to head over to the Cloven Council and tell them I did my job, protecting you over these past few days and doing my job properly." Hedge said, his tone serious. Arc nodded, waving at him as he made his way to the Dining Hall, pressing the lock button on the FOB. He noticed a slight limp to his gait, realising that his ankle was previously sprained too, healing with the Nectar and Ambrosia.

He walked in, the replay finally playing of his incident after the race directors got the all clear that he was fine, watching the crash from another view point. He stood behind the camp that gathered around the Pavillion, watching the replay with them of his crash. It was violent.

The LMP shunted his rear, further on the right side of the car, the Ferrari clipping the grass, hitting the metal barrier before the car dug in; rolling four times showering debris everywhere as well as oil and coolant, landing upside down, flames trickling from the car that sat on its roof, engulfing the rear of the car. The marshals sprinted out, fire extinguishers in hand as they sprayed down the rear of the car, the medical car pulling up beside the car, cutting off just before they pulled him carefully from the car.

It showed the crash a couple more times from different points of view, onboard his car, onboard the LMP, a side shot from the next corner as his car rolled in slow motion, hearing the campers gasp around him.

"Looks worse on the outboard than it did inside the car." He mused, startling the camp. The TV swapped footage to his interview, the camp turning in shock at his sudden appearance. Thalia's face lit up at the sight of him, her eyes glistening the tears started to roll down her face. He could sense her struggle as she fought her feelings wanting desperately to run to him and wrap him in her arms, something she couldn't do with who she was and where she was, smiling over at her in a sad understanding way.

"Arc, you idiot." Percy grumbled, rubbing his eyes. "Don't leave us in the dark for so long." He smiled a watery smile.

"Sorry, I couldn't really help it. I blacked out for twenty minutes, woke up to Hedge feeding me Nectar." He explained, perching beside his brother who sat beside Thalia and Annabeth on Poseidon's table.

"Did it hurt?" Clarisse grinned, her usual Ares ways coming out. He grinned shaking his head as he looked at the campers, glancing back to the TV as the race was back underway, everything finished, the camera's pointing at the lone AF Corsa Ferrari driving around the track.

"A little bit." He smiled. "I ended up with a few cracked ribs that are nearly healed, a sprained wrist and a sprained ankle, with some minor harness digs." He finished looking down at his arm in its sling, removing it and testing the feel of it.

"Well, at least you're alright." Will smiled. "Want me to take a look?" He wondered. Arc shook his head, looking down at his watch seeing it was coming up to four in the morning in France.

"No, I'm alright. I'm just going to head back to my cabin and get some sleep, maybe have a quick shower to see if that makes the healing process a bit quicker." He yawned excusing himself. "Night all." He smiled, hearing a chorus from behind. He found himself in his cabin, the warm water from the shower allowing his injuries to heal faster, sighing at the relief from pain.

His head hit his pillow, the sound of Percy entering and climbing into bed himself, something he barely heard. He was out like a light, drifting into a bit of a haunted sleep, watching the crash over and over in different scenarios, in some where he didn't make it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - It Begins

He slept for a few hours, tossing and turning before he sighed, sitting up in bed, looking out to the early morning sky, spying the waves rolling on the beach through the trees. He sighed, tentatively stretching as he tested his injuries, feeling a little sting from his still-healing ribs, glancing to Percy who slept peacefully in an uncomfortable position, snoring. He heard a tap on the door, a hesitant knock. He stood hissing in pain as he made his way to the door, opening it just enough to see Thalia, surprised to see her.

Her eyes were puffy and red as she wiped her eyes, his heart was breaking at the scene. He outstretched his arms, wrapping them around her waist as he brought her in. Her tears started anew as they seeped through his shirt, resting his chin on the top of her head, pecking the top of her forehead.

"Come on." He whispered, quietly closing his cabin door behind him. They made their way down to the beachfront, away from the harpies and the camp boundary, sitting on the cool sand, Thalia beside him.

"Sorry." She sniffed, glancing up to him. "It just all hit me at once. I couldn't show emotion in front of everyone, or hug you when you turned up safe. It just got to me." She breathed, staring up at him, her eyes shimmering. He sighed as he looked down at her, wrapping his arm around her. He leaned into his side, the tears rolling down her face.

"I get it." He sighed, pecking the top of her head. "You're not the only one it freaked out. I dread the outcome if Hedge didn't get to me in time." He breathed, staring down at her. She hummed, nuzzling his shoulder as she sighed a ragged breath. He leaned his cheek on top of her head, sighing as they watched the sunrise. The orange ball in the sky slowly came over the horizon, tinting the dark blue sky orange.

He heard the faint sounds of a light snoring beneath him, smiling to himself as he looked out to sea, the waves rolling gently onto the sand in front of him. He sat watching the waves roll peacefully, the sound of seagulls above as they flew overhead. Seconds turned into minutes, minutes turned into hours. He heard the conch sound, Thalia stirring beside him. She took a long intake of breath, looking around at her surroundings groggily.

"Morning." He grinned, looking down at the tousled mass of black hair. She smiled up at him, watching him stand and took his hand when he offered it.

"Morning. Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep." She smiled sheepishly, walking back along the beach up towards Camp.

"No problem. You looked like you needed it anyway." He smiled, glancing to her from the corner of his eye. He stepped into camp, watching as Percy ran around in a panic, Annabeth in tow on their way to break to the Dining Hall. They spotted the pair, a look of relief washing over them as they rushed over.

"Where the hell were you? I woke up and you were gone." Percy yelled arms flailing in the air looking between the two, standing close together, Annabeth by his side.

"To the beach. I couldn't sleep and Thalia came to see me before she went back to the Hunters." He lied. Percy and Annabeth eyed the two suspiciously, still unaware of the secret closeness the two had. He looked to Thalia, watching her nod in agreement a small smile gracing her face. "Come on, let's go get breakfast before we finish it because I have to take Thalia back to Olympus." He finished, carrying on in the direction he was heading.

They sat and ate breakfast together, Arc covering himself in The Mist so he couldn't be seen sitting with Thalia, the pair of them shrouded from everyone at camp seeing the two at the tables; one alone and the other with his brother. They talked with each other, something they hadn't done in a long while before she became a Hunter, getting to know each other for once after finding the time to do so.

Chiron ended breakfast, the camp bustling to life as they made their way to whatever errands needed doing on their daily lives. Some went for training in the Arena, others went to do chores. Arc stretched as he stood, the pain from his ribs now gone as the water from his shower last night helped that final bit to heal his wounds. He looked across to Thalia, watching as she stood collecting her bow from beside her, hearing a long dejected sigh release from her. He smiled sadly over to her as he nodded towards his cabin, seeing Percy and Annabeth heading in that direction.

She said her goodbyes to camp, quickly running over to Arc as he walked with his brother and Annabeth, listening to them squabble.

"The room should be relatively clean, I'm the one that keeps it clean. If it not, it's his doing. He's the messy one." Arc teased, knocking his shoulder into Percy's. Percy grinned, huffing as he shook his head, Thalia walking beside Arc.

"This is me. Hopefully, I'll see you again in the future." She sighed, hugging Annabeth. Percy stared at the Hunter, a small sad smile on his face as he nodded, looking up to his brother.

"Hopefully. What are you doing today?" Percy wondered, staring at Arc.

"I'm going to drop Thalia off at Olympus then come back, haven't got anything else to do really, this isn't my camp anymore." He sighed, looking off over his shoulder. "Probably as soon as I've dropped her off, I'll come here get my stuff then visit London Camp for a while, see if anything needs doing." He finished, sighing looking at the floor.

"Well hopefully, we will see you too, soon." Annabeth sighed, looking up to him. "Bye Thals." She smiled at her friend she'd known for many years. "Come on Perce, let's go check on the Cabins, make sure they're up to standard." She said. Percy groaned, saying his goodbyes as he jogged after Annabeth, their bickering continuing.

"They're like an old married couple, the way they bicker." He mused, shaking his head. He threw the keyring to the floor, the car taking on the shape of something he'd not seen in a long time. He stared in confusion at the convertible Corvette, eying the sky blue finish. He shook his head, a little tired to question the car's, his, choice in the vehicle, opening the door for Thalia.

He took the dirt path leading out of the Camp and onto the main road past the strawberry fields, the sweet scent in the air of ripe strawberries. They drove in comfortable silence, the sound of Avenged Sevenfold lightly playing through the speakers, the loud V8 grumbling around them. He glanced around him, catching up with the typical New York traffic; people around him looking enviously at the young teenager driving around in an expensive convertible.

He looked at Thalia who was eying him, smiling softly over to him. He grinned back, amusement dancing on his face as he crept forward slightly as the cars in front moved at a snail's pace.

"What?" He wondered, smiling down at her. She shook her head, sighing as she looked out the windscreen at the traffic in front, ignoring the looks from others around.

"Nothing." She smiled. "I just. I can't wait for all of this to be over. Although I'm frightened a little too. I don't know what's going to happen when this is all over." She sighed, looking over to him, a sad smile on her face. He sighed as the cars moved quicker in front of him, following them at a cars length in case of a sudden stop. He knew what she meant. He was unsure, himself.

"I'm just as stumped as you are." He breathed. "Anything can happen these coming days, months, year. Who knows when this'll finally be over." He sighed, looking around him as he approached the Empire State Building, seeing it tower above the city just ahead. They sat in silence, pulling up outside the building as he yanked the handbrake, looking over to her and smiling sadly. He caught a glimpse of silver over her shoulder, sighing as he looked in front of him.

"I'll see you soon, Thals. You have company." He sighed, looking to her from the corner of his eye. She grumbled as she spotted the Hunters stood outside, waiting for her arrival. He could sense that she loved being a Hunter, loved the people she'd come to know but annoyed her to no end when they caught wind of him being there. They still didn't trust him as much, much to his pleasure. Even though he and the past Lieutenant ended on good terms after so many years, they still held a little grudge to him; some from back in the day that was a part of that hunting party he crashed.

She nodded, stepping out of the car as she smiled to the girls in front of her, all of them making their way up to Olympus via the elevator. He peeled away from the kerb, minding the cars around him as he made his way back to camp, finding the silence in the car bothersome. He turned up the music, Dear God coming through the speakers with its calm melody, singing along to it. After a couple of hours, he made his way back to camp, stopping off at his house quickly to grab something to eat from the cupboard.

He parked up outside his cabin, feeling the slip of Percy through the Mist again. His eyes widened as he barged through his cabin door, looking around and calling out to him. No answer. He sprinted outside, looking around at the startled Demigods staring at him, just going about their business. He was tackled from the side, a mess of blonde of crying into him as she babbled on about Percy.

"Annabeth, calm down. I can't understand a word you are saying. Where's Percy?" He stated calmly. She took a deep breath, rubbing the tears from her eyes.

"I don't know. We. We argued and I accidentally called him a coward after he said he was scared about the prophecy. And then he just- Up and left, disappeared on Blackjack. And I don't know where he's gone." She wailed. Arc closed his eyes, cringing at what this all meant. He threw open the boot of his car, taking out the cardboard box inside, running to the Dining Hall in the centre, Annabeth in tow calling his name. He blew the conch horn that was in the Pavilion, everyone making their way hurriedly.

He waited for a moment until everyone arrived, all looking around worriedly on why they were all summoned, Chiron trotting over.

"Arcmelos. What is the meaning of this?" He stated a stern expression on his face.

"War. Percy has started the first step and everyone needs to get ready, now. Annabeth and I will make our way to Percy, I need you all to get into the vans ASAP once you've packed everything we will need for this war, and meet us at Olympus." He declared, taking charge in this dire situation. "Everyone, take one from the box and I mean one. I was hoping to tinker with them some more but I now have no time. They're mobile devices." He said hurriedly taking two from the box, watching as everyone grabbed one from the box thankful that he had enough, looking to him for the next set of instructions.

"Place your index finger on the scanner at the bottom and it will imprint that phone to you and only you. To call someone type in the first letter of their name a full stop then their last name so for instance, I want to call Annabeth." He scanned his finger, watching everyone else do the same as he looked to Annabeth. He typed in showing everyone he could hoping they'd pass it on to others that couldn't see and pressed dial, her phone buzzing in her hand.

"Keep these on you at all times, they will come in handy for the situation we are in. Start packing and I will meet you all at Olympus when I have Percy." He stated, running off towards his car, Annabeth in tow as he watched camp scramble about, Will of Apollo cabin taking charge something he had no time to question.

He jumped into his car, the Mustang shifting to something faster and more controllable, an RS200 in between Group B Spec and its Pikes Peak configuration. Annabeth slammed the door shut behind her as she slid into the low down passenger seat beside him.

"Seatbelt on." He ordered, flicking the switches for the ignition, pressing the red button at the end. The car fired to life, a loud menacing grumble from the thousand horse-powered V8 engine, a flame-spitting out from the rear. The all-wheel-drive kicked into life as he shot off down the strawberry fields, Annabeth clutching her seat as she looked over at him.

"Where are we going, where's Percy?" She shook, yelling over the sound of the engine. He saw her knuckles turning white as she gripped the roll cage bar beside her, the car going airborne, as he flew over the slight crest that had a large dip towards the base, landing down hard the invincible suspension taking the hit.

"The Underworld." He stated, peeling onto the main road heading back to New York.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Protect Olympus

He pulled up in Central Park, people giving the car dirty looks as he pulled up. He cringed slightly as he'd forgot to hide them in The Mist, quickly doing so as he drove onto the grass beside him, revving the engine no one could hear as he stopped beside a rock.

"What are we doing here? I thought we were going to the Underworld?" Annabeth wondered, watching people walk by on the path beside them paying them no attention.

"We are, what Percy has just done, he's going to be coming out of that Entrance any moment." He stated, stepping out of the car. Annabeth followed, watching as the car shimmered to his rallycross car as she shut the door. She stood beside him a moment, waiting to see the rock open a question weighing on her mind. Before she got the chance to ask, the rock slid open, the sound of two rocks scraping on each other an unwelcome sound to hear, as Percy emerged surprised to see the two.

"What in Hade's Name have you done, Perseus." Annabeth growled, throwing her arms around him. "Don't ever disappear on me like that, what did I say the last time you did that?" She wondered, pulling back. He ignored the little private moment between the two, clearing his throat and looking pointedly to Annabeth. She looked down sheepishly, embarrassment on her face as she glanced up to him. "Sorry, Percy. I didn't mean what I said back at camp."

"What are you both doing here anyway?" He wondered. Arc pulled out the spare phone, handing it over to Percy.

"It's a phone, scan your index finger on the bottom and to call someone you put the first letter of their first name, followed by a dot then their full last name." He explained to Percy's confusion. "And to answer your question, to get you seen as you've just started a war. Now come on, we need to get to Olympus, and fast." He stated, rushing over to his car the others in tow. They drove around for a moment, pulling up outside the Empire State Building just as the Strawberry Farm vans pulled up behind him.

Annabeth stepped over to the van with Chiron in the back. He watched as he handed her a shield that looked like a mirror. He'd never heard or seen of anything like it from Ancient times, he was quite baffled on the matter. He watched as Percy talked with Chiron who smiled down at him before leaving to find more backup, leaving Percy in charge. He turned to look at everyone, watching the vans drive away Argus and Satyrs driving away leaving the Demigod's to fend for themselves, for a time.

"Okay, we all need to get up there now. We all can't fit in the elevator at once, so you'll have to go in batches. Apollo cabin, then Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Athena..." He tuned out from his brother, looking over their surroundings. Something was starting to feel a little off around them, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He zoned back in, just in time to see everyone piling into the front door, the scene looking like a school trip.

He heard his brother explaining to the man at the desk that there would be a monster outbreak if they didn't get up to Olympus this very second. He watched the man scramble around on his desk before picking up a key card, shoving into his brother's hand, looking worriedly into Arc's direction. He pushed his way through, standing with Percy and Annabeth, watching as they all made their way up, cabin by cabin. The last cabin made its way up, Arc leaving his car below Mist Travelled to the top, Percy and Annabeth beside him as he appeared at the top of the steps in front of the elevator.

Percy led the troops onwards once everyone was accounted for from the elevator, making their way to the throne room. They walked through the empty village below the Throne Room, they just saw people staring from their windows, locked inside their homes as if anticipating the storm heading their way. They approached the Throne Room doors, the murmur from the campers behind the trio, seeing and hearing nothing.

In the centre of the room stood a woman tending to the Brazier in front of her. Hestia. The camp stood back, watching Percy and Annabeth advance, Arc standing beside Will, leading the campers.

"Lady Hestia." He heard Percy say, watching as the two bowed to her, rising with the gesture of her kind smile, a smile that quickly vanished once she looked over him.

"Perseus. I see you went through with the plan. You bare the Curse of Achilles." She sighed, looking sympathetically down at him. Everyone started mumbling in hushed whispers, conferring on if they heard the goddess right. They watched as he nodded, the surprise was written on Annabeth's face, the truth on why he went to the Underworld now unfolding before her.

"You. You went to the Underworld to bare the curse." Annabeth mumbled in shock, staring at Percy, her eyes wide. She looked over her shoulder to Arc to see if he knew, the blank expression on his face telling her everything she needed to know. Hestia sighed as her arm dropped to her side, the red hot poker forgotten and left in the Brazier.

"I was a fool. I didn't think you would go through with the task. I didn't show you the full vision." She sighed, putting two fingers on either side of his head. He stood motionless for a moment before he blinked, Hestia vanishing into the Brazier.

"How long was I out?" He wondered, looking around to Annabeth by his side. She shook her head, looking up to Arc in confusion.

"You weren't out, you just stood there for a second and then you were back." She explained. Arc stood beside them, his stomach tightening with the Mist as he felt something. He heard the faint sound of Percy ordering the campers around him on things that needed doing, the sound getting evermore quiet as he stepped back down in the village, campers following him to the elevator to start preparing below.

He looked through the binoculars you'd find at a pier and the top of the Empire State Building, looking down on the streets below. His eyes widened as he scanned around rapidly seeing people lying in the streets, cars slowly rolling to a stop, hitting the back of others or into buildings, thankfully missing pedestrians that laid in the streets. He looked to his right, seeing Travis walking past with his brother in tow.

"Travis, get Percy quickly and right now." He ordered. They both watched him run off back up to the Throne Room, Connor coming over to him looking through the binoculars. His eyes widened as he gasped, watching the carnage happening below, nodding to him when he looked up to him. "This is bad." He mumbled to Connor, repeating it louder once he heard Percy and Annabeth running to him. "This is very bad."

"What? What's wrong?" Percy huffed, catching his breath. He nodded over to the binoculars, watching as he used them. He could hear Annabeth sniffling from beside him, looking over at her in concern. She shook her head, wiping her tears away with the sleeves of her hoodie, nodding to Percy.

"What's going on?" Her voice was rough and wobbling as if ready to cry once more.

"Nothing's moving down there." Percy muttered, looking over at the two in alarm.

"It's begun. We need to get down there now, get to my car to prepare." Arc replied in a serious tone. They sprinted to the elevator, watching as people just piled in and going down a few at a time. They appeared at the bottom, Arc breaking out into a sprint through the main doors, his car changing to the SWAT van, the rear doors bulging.

He could hear Percy rattling off to everyone what they needed to do, ordering cabins to get to certain roads and bridges connecting to this area to stop the assault on Olympus. He muttered to himself, trying to pull the back of the van open, struggling with everything piled into the back that had shifted a lot with transformations.

"Come on. Come on, open you piece of -" He cut himself off as the doors flew open, weapons clattering to the floor, disturbing and interrupting his brother. "Okay stock up on stuff, we have spare swords, shields, spears, modified bows and arrows for Apollo cabin and anyone else that wants to try there hand. I didn't have time to get the quivers enchanted with a lot of the stuff I wanted, but you have armour piercing arrows as well as barbed arrows as well as regular. The quiver is enchanted to change to whatever one you want by saying it out of those three. I did want Greek Fire but didn't have time. The arrows will replenish so there's no need to fear running out." He explained, piling the bows and quivers towards Apollo cabin.

"Where's Ares cabin. I thought it was a bit quiet. I have Clarisse's new spear and some weapons for them to use." He wondered, looking around towards the mass of campers. Will stepped forward, sighing up at him.

"They didn't come. The fight between our cabins ended badly with the flying chariot. We gave it to them in the end, but they still didn't want to have any of it and refused to help." Will muttered. Arc's arms flew wildly up in the air, cursing in Ancient greek.

"I'm going to kill her when I see her. This is her fight too for goodness sake!" He yelled, throwing everything of their's into the back of his van. He listened to Percy going over the details once more, listening to the Cabins that were stationed at certain roads and bridges. He twirled the rings on his necklace belonging to Terry and Rachael in comfort as he thought about everything.

"hold it Perce, you forgot the Lincoln tunnel." Jake Mason chimed in. Percy cursed in ancient greek forgetting that place looking around at anyone he might have missed.

"I'll do it, got nothing to do myself. If you are going to go around with Annabeth and activate plan twenty-three, whatever that is, I can hold it on my own." Arc stated, his ring morphing to the M16 DMR Masterpiece that had yet to be used. Percy hesitated before nodding, turning back to the camp when he was interrupted.

"You're not having all of the fun." A familiar voice said. From around the corner behind them appeared the Hunters, his eyes lighting up at the familiar face. Thalia grinned up at him as he glanced to Percy and everyone around him before tutting sarcastically, nodding to the van that shimmered to a small minibus, something he hated in general and to drive.

"Come on then, everyone in." He nodded, looking to the others. "Good luck everyone, see you in a while." He concluded, watching as everyone wandered to the area's designated, wishing everyone luck. He peeled off towards the tunnel, weaving in and out of cars stopped everywhere, avoiding people the laid in the roads who were unfortunate enough to be crossing when this all happened. Every person they saw, they moved onto the pavement or down alleyways to keep the roads clear.

It took them longer to get to the tunnel, sighing as he pulled up, at last, looking to Thalia at his side.

"I'm going to be up there." He stated, pointing up at the building opposite the entrance of the tunnel. "If you place about five on each side, looking in both directions I can keep an eye dead centre then." He explained looking over to them all, pressing the logo on the back. He saw Thalia nod as he shoved the key into his pocket. She was smiling up at him, her eyes glinting.

"Okay, will do." She stated, nodding her head. "Stay safe." She added in her head, walking into the direction he suggested.

"You too." He smiled, looking over at her retreating figure. He Mist Travelled to the top of the building, laying on his stomach, his phone to the side of him in case it wrung while he was busy and couldn't reach it. He prepped the DMR, making sure the chamber was empty before pulling the bolt back, hearing the round slide into place correctly. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - For whom the bell Tolls

Before the battle commenced, he could sense the advancing army approaching slowly towards the other side of the tunnel. The Hunter's and he rushed all around the tunnel, pulling everyone from their cars and putting them in the back of a lorry he'd found. He parked up the lorry in an alleyway, out of sight and away from monsters a few blocks away before he returned, assuming his position once more on the roof above.

He laid in the same position for hours, firing shot after shot at monsters that got too close the Hunter all around, unable to get to some in time. He could feel bile rising in his throat as he swallowed it down, watching as they were cut down through his sight. He was powerless against it, every time it occurred was due to his gun jamming or he was reloading the clunky magazine. He grunted in anger as the gun jammed once more, the sound of music coming through his phone helping calm his nerves, the faint sound of Metallica coming through over the sound of gunfire.

He could see the advancing monsters, their numbers growing by the second overwhelming them below. He watched as a half-giant got too close to Thalia, unaware of its presence as she focused on helping someone to the left of her.

His ring morphed to his Martini-Henry, deciding it was best to fight alongside the Hunters and Thalia, helping them fall back to safer ground to tend to the wounded. He plucked up his phone from the floor, turning up the volume on the song playing on repeat, blaring through the speaker.

For Whom the Bell Tolls.

He leapt off of the building, Mist Travelling to the bottom beside Thalia. He broke out into a combat-roll as he came out of the Mist, his gun blasting loudly around everyone startling them all as the Giant disintegrated into dust. He summoned healing supplies behind him: water, bandages, Nectar and Ambrosia watching as the Hunter's around him in the centre withdrew tending to the wounded.

The gun rocked against his shoulder in time to the beat of the song blaring from his top pocket on his leather jacket as his sight snapped to the monsters surrounding them. He started advancing down the tunnel slowly, his aim never faltering as he shot bullet after bullet in quick succession, the gun never-ceasing fire or jamming. The song bounced around the tunnel, somehow overpowering the echoing roars coming from the monsters within.

He glanced to his watch as the song faded out, the quiet overtaking his senses. The loud booming of his gun had stopped, the monster's roars had quieted, sensing them with the Mist stood at the other end of the tunnel, waiting for there mark to rush the lone Demigod holding the tunnel while the Hunter's tended to their wounded. He knelt in the centre of the tunnel as he looked through his pouch of enchanted rounds, pulling out one he wasn't sure about.

He came out of his thoughts as the song started up once more, the roar's from the other end of the tunnel echoing down to his ears. He grinned as he watched them advance, loading the experimental round into the chamber. He slipped the lever back up as to close the chamber, watching as the monster's tried a new tactic of rushing him in a line, another wave just behind them.

He shook his head at the baffling tactic as he fired the Greek Fire round as the singing started, humming along to the song as he watched the front row of monsters ignite into a pool of dust, blocking their advance.

He loaded another, watching as the sprinklers in the tunnel switched on, dousing the flames and everything around him. He grinned as he allowed himself to get wet. He felt reinvigorated at the sensation feeling a tug in his stomach as the sprinklers burst overhead, water flooding into the tunnel. He manipulated the water, feeling the surge of energy created as it rushed down the opposite end of the tunnel, hearing the wails of monsters that vanished in an instant.

He forced the water to push the cars in front of him into one huge pile, blocking the ends of the tunnel with cars. He sighed as he stood, looking at his watch once more seeing it was the early hours of the morning, slowly marching his way out of the tunnel towards the Hunter's who stood gawking at his approach, just as the song ended once more. His phone wrang when he exited the tunnel, hearing Percy's panicked voice on the other end.

"Arc, get here now, we're at the Plaza Hotel. Annabeth is hurt, badly." His eyes widened as he looked to Thalia, sighing as the stupid idea ran through his mind.

"I know you all don't like me but fall in now, Annabeth is hurt and we need to get to her ASAP!" He yelled, waving over those that were still tending to the wounded. Thalia's eyes widened in understanding as she was about to protest. He focused on the pull in his stomach, feeling the tug as they Mist Travelled, the wounded along with them, to where Percy was situated, the help of the sprinklers doing him wonders.

They appeared outside of the Hotel, the wounded appearing in the infirmary set up on a different floor, sprinting through the lobby as he downed some Nectar and a bottle of water, the adrenaline fueling him. They burst through the door, startling everyone inside as he pushed his way to the balcony door.  
"Get some rest, Hunters. You fought well today." Thalia called, looking at the tired Hunter's slump and fall anywhere comfy they could find.

"Will, there are some more wounded Hunter's in the infirmary room If you need medical supplies, let me know." Arc stated, pulling Will to the side as he exited the balcony. They stepped over to the door, smiling at the intimate scene between his brother and the daughter of Athena. He glanced to Thalia beside him, smiling at each other, not wanting to break up the intimate scene before remembering why they were here.

They burst through the balcony door, startling the two as Thalia noticed the green puss coating the outside of bandage. He suppressed a gag at the view, as Thalia let loose a sob, making her way to her friend.

"What in Hade's happened." She growled, looking up to Percy in a way to suggest he'd done it. He came up beside Thalia, pushing her to the side gently as he examined the wound, peeling off the foul-smelling bandage. Poison. He hated poison, recalling every quest or monster attack that had happened to him involving poison. He shuddered at the memory, shaking his head as he came back to the world around him.

"Ethan was there on the bridge, we were fighting, he had a poisoned blade and somehow got a lucky guess on where to hit me, but Annabeth jumped into the fray just in time, taking the blade for me." A small smile spread across his face as Annabeth stared up at him.

"Anytime, Seaweed Brain." She coughed, hissing in pain as it jostled her wound. He gently pushed her back down to the lounge chair as he examined the wound in the pale light.

"How long ago did this happen?" He wondered, staring up to his brother. Percy shook his head in thought.

"I dunno, two hours ago maybe," Percy started looking over at his brother. "Will came in just now to dress it but had to run to help the new arrivals in the infirmary." He finished. Arc cringed at the thought of how many were wounded. He dared not think about those that died.

"Hold this." He ordered, holding up the phone that had the torch beaming down at himself on the back. Percy held the light to the wound that was festering, Will didn't have the time to clean the wound properly. He didn't blame him the place was filled with wounded and from the looks of things, there weren't many Apollo campers that were still around. He wiped around the wound with water he dipped in a clean bandage before taking a swig of Nectar beside him, swishing it around his mouth. He swallowed thickly as he cringed at what had to be done.

"Sorry about this Annabeth." He started. Before she could answer, he latched his mouth around the wound, applying pressure as he sucked the poison out from the wound, hearing her sharp intake of breath in shock. He spat on the ground the mixture of red and green, the metallic taste making him feel sick.

He sucked the poison out two more times, repeating his actions, stopping after the fourth when he spat out just blood. He poured Nectar into the wound, hearing her hiss in pain as she latched onto the frame of the chair around her, her knuckles turning white. The godly drink worked its magic on the poison tainting her blood, seeing the wound closing around at an incredibly slow pace. He placed a clean bandage around her shoulder once more, swishing his mouth out with water as he spat it over the edge. He popped a couple of Iron Pills into her open mouth as she panted from the pain, dribbling water slowly into her mouth.

"Sorry, Annabeth." He said once more, a weak nod in response watching as her eyes closed needing rest. He turned to the shocked faces behind him, eying his brother beside Thalia. "I assume you'll be watching over her while she heals?" He whispered. Percy nodded, staring down at the pot of iron pills his brother shoved in his hand. "Give her two of these a day, cleaning her wound with water and a small mix of Nectar every five hours, replacing the bandage after with a clean one each time." He explained. Percy took a shuddering breath as he smiled a watery smile, tears forming in his eyes.

"Thank you, Arc." Percy smiled. Arc nodded, happy to help as he looked to Thalia.

"You can stay out here if you want with Percy. I'm going to go see if Will needs a hand then come out here and do some scouting on the roof." He explained. Thalia agreed to stay, perching in a patio chair by Annabeth's side, watching as Percy did the same as he made his way to the room next door as the acting infirmary.

A couple of hours passed, as he looked down to his watch seeing it was nearly four in the morning, the sight of the sun glowing in the distance just below the horizon. He rubbed his face tiredly as he made his way out onto the balcony, eying his brother and Thalia asleep beside Annabeth. He quickly checked on Annabeth, changing her bandage after cleaning the wound before he moved past Percy, careful not to wake him as he pulled himself up onto the roof standing on the railing of the balcony.

His ring morphed to his DMR once more, looking down at the weapon with scrutiny as he tinkered with the gun. He began replacing parts that weren't adequate and adding some, where they should've been in the first place.

He couldn't blame Hephaestus.

It was his blueprint the god had built the gun from, unaware himself of missing parts. He heard someone stir from their sleep below, peering over the edge just as the sun was rising behind him. Thalia sat up, stretching in her chair as she looked around at her surroundings, catching his eye up on the roof.

She smiled up at him as she stood, making her way to the edge of the balcony, holding her arms up to him. He leaned over the edge, pulling her up with an exerted groan as she sat beside him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"What are you up to?" She wondered, watching him tinker with the gun, finally getting it right.

"The stupid thing wasn't designed correctly, I missed some parts on the gun which caused it to jam a lot and be useless. Hence why I came down to help, it was better than sitting up there watching you all get slaughtered." He explained. He sighed as he laid down on his back, staring up at the grey clouds that were forming overhead, hoping it didn't rain. He slid off the scope from the gun, handing it over to Thalia as he closed his eyes.

"I haven't slept in a while. Do you mind doing some scouting while I'm asleep, please?" He wondered as he peeked his right eye, looking up at her. She smiled kindly, taking the sight from his hand as she pecked his forehead tentatively, a smile forming on his face as he fell into what should have been a haunted sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - White Flag

He awoke a couple of hours later, sitting up looking around bleary-eyed at his surroundings, confused about where he was for a moment. He observed Thalia, unaware of him being awake, looking over the city streets through the sniper scope. Her ever diligent eyes were focused on the surroundings, he let her be for a moment, glancing down at his watch.

"You can get some sleep yourself now if you want, I can carry on watching now. Just needed a little boost." He yawned, holding his hand out for the scope. She jumped at the sound of his voice, glancing to him with a startled expression.

"Did you hide your movements with The Mist? I didn't even hear you." He breathed, clutching at her chest. He grinned sheepishly up towards his favourite Hunter, receiving the scope from her.

"Sorry. And probably, I do tend to do that every once in a while if I'm not paying attention." He explained, looking down the scope once he'd reattached it to the DMR. "Did anything interesting happen while I was asleep?" He wondered, yawning once more. He looked towards her, to see her shaking her head in response.

"No, all is quiet at the moment which is concerning. All we had was a couple of cabins come in and a couple going out to replace them, nothing special." She finished, lying back to look up at the grey sky above, not a single bird in sight overhead.

"Has Percy or anyone checked on Annabeth?" He wondered, glancing down over her. She nodded her head once more, looking up to him with her mesmerising electric blue eyes.

"Yeah, I did. I had to go make an appearance to the Hunters as well." She explained, sighing as she closed her eyes. He let her rest as he continued surveying the city below as he listened to her breathing get calmer with her eventually falling asleep.

He jumped off of the roof landing at the foot of the sleeping Annabeth, making his way past Percy who laid awkwardly yet was peacefully asleep. He shook his head as he passed in amazement, entering the hotel room ready to raid the minifridge. He sighed as he opened it wide to see it empty, cans and empty wrappers left in their places. He grumbled as he slammed the door shut, grumbling to himself as he made his way to the exit.

"I'm going to make a food run to Costco in Queens, can you keep an eye on Thalia, Annabeth and Percy on the balcony, please." He wondered, handing his rifle to Malcolm. He nodded, determination on his face as he watched Arc make his way out of the front door. Arc descended the building using the lift, too tired to Mist Travel or walk down, exiting the building once it was on the lobby floor.

He started walking north from the hotel, before sighing and throwing his keyring to the floor, the Costco being a twenty-minute drive away. He didn't want to drive, with the war going on at that moment in time as well as all the attention it would get him, but he had no choice. To ensure that his journey back would be a quick one, every pedestrian he saw he moved to the pavement opposite to clear the roads, pushing cars to the roadside along the way also.

He felt sorry for all these people sleeping around him, unaware of what was transpiring around them. They were going to be so confused when they awoke, wondering why so many days had passed by when they should have been driving. He'd had to use The Mist to wipe everyone's memories of their long slumber, a lot of power has to go into bending the Mist to do that, he knew. He'd done it before and it was a pain.

A twenty-minute journey turned into an hour with all the stopping and starting, but eventually, the roads were cleared. He felt bad for what he was about to do, he wasn't exactly a Costco member so he'd be scanning items himself whilst paying with cash. He wandered around the large warehouse, skirting around sleeping customers as he went, stacking everything onto the trolley in front of him.

After nearly two hours of shopping, his trolley filled to the brim. He struggled to push the overfilled trolley to the checkout area, The Gift of Poseidon having to come out for some more strength before he made it there. He started scanning everything he had; placing one of everything on the scanner, with the help of the sleeping cashier's sign-in card, placing several numbers after every item on how much he had. In the end, he had:

\- One Hundred tins of different soups  
\- A crate of coffee  
\- Several boxes filled with crisps  
\- Fifty frozen Pizzas  
\- Several boxes of Red Bull  
\- Several Boxes of Gatorade  
\- A couple of packs of Arizona Ice Tea  
\- A few packs of waters  
\- A couple of crates of Canned Fruit  
\- Fifty cans of Chili  
\- Deodorant and Essentials i.e Toothpaste etc.  
\- A few packs of Cereal  
\- Several boxes of Kraft Mac and Cheese  
\- Crates of Pot Noodles

He cringed when he saw the total, his wallet taking a huge hit as he paid for it all, wheeling the trolley out to his car, the rear parked up directly at the entrance to the Warehouse. The Mustang shimmered to a Transit Van, as he swung the doors open, piling everything into the back of it before pushing the trolley out of the way back over to the main door. He felt a tug in the Mist, quickly ducking behind the van's door as an Arrow sunk into the floor from where he once was.

He growled as he peered through the slit in the door, seeing numerous squads of monsters, lined up in formation, archers at the back and infantry at the front. He must have forgotten to hide in the Mist. He cursed in Ancient Greek as he looked to his finger, realisation striking him as he noticed his missing ring. Why had he given the rifle to Malcolm? He scolded himself in his idiotic stupor. He studied his other ring, watching it shimmer into a lone knuckle duster, the celestial bronze looking dull with its little use.

He willed the Van to change to the SWAT Van, hearing the approaching horde yelling orders as they got ever closer.

"That Demigod doesn't leave here alive, got it?" He heard the beast yell, in somewhat broken English.

He scrounged around in the mass of melee weapons he intended on Ares cabin using, trying to find something ranged, or he wasn't coming back to the Hotel. He pulled out the red box underneath the pile, struggling with the weight of its contents and on top, flicking open the four latches. He pulled out the highly experimental P90 Submachine gun he was tinkering with, the first ranged weapon he'd ever made, after the crossbow that is; that was something he'd put aside to finish at a later date.

The weapon was sound. It fired true, but not all the time. It was something he'd planned on improving once his skills had gotten better but the gun was lost. He loaded the magazine into the top, slapping the back into place when he heard a click. He removed the safety, his left ring turning into a shield in case the weapon failed. He hoped that past him was competent enough to design the thing properly.

He burst out of the back, weapon firing wildly into the horde around him, rolling out of the way of a sword arcing over his head, glowing red with rage. He batted another away with his shield, spraying into the mass of monsters once more; their dust flying into the air and showering him as it rained down upon him. He aimed the weapon in the face of the commanding monster, watching the fear in its eyes and it backed up slowly.

"Who sent you?" He demanded. The Dracnae's expression changed as it hissed, swinging its poisoned blade at him wildly. It ricocheted off his shield, the sword flying overhead behind, landing with a clatter to the ground as he let out a burst under his arm on the last Half giant that tried to surprise attack him from the rear. He looked expectantly at the Dracnae, still waiting for it to answer his question.

"You. You have a mole, someone you all trust amidst you. They told Kronos where to find you, overheard you when you left." It hissed.

"You're lying." He growled, watching the Dracnae shake its head vigorously.

"I don't know any more than that." The Dracnae hissed, an evil grin setting on its lips as its tongue slithered out from between its lips. Arc growled as dust showered over him once more, slicing at the Dracnae with the sharp blade on the left side of the shield, turning back to the SWAT van that shimmered back into the regular van with the food inside.

The red aura dispersed from around him, his shield morphing back into his ring; the design swirling violently as it faded between a shield and his dusters. He sighed as he pulled himself up into the driver's seat, feeling even more drained after the Gift of Poseidon got involved in the fight. The drive was quick back as he was speeding, thankful he moved the pedestrians out of the way.

Was that Dracnae telling the truth? Was there a traitor in their midst. It concerned him on how they knew specifically where he was. He thought about who it could be for what felt like hours. Was it Malcolm? He told him directly where he was heading. He shook his head, feeling stupid. It was the Dracnae's way of worming its way out of death. He pulled up out the front, slinging the P90 over his shoulder to tinker as he spotted Malcolm on the roof, waving up at him.

He got the message, and not long after several Hunters and campers combined met him downstairs, helping him bring up the tons of food he'd brought. He pressed the logo, shoving the key in his pocket as he carried the last few crates up, struggling with the weight. He groaned as he dropped the crates on the counter, watching them place the frozen foods in the fridge/freezer combo.

"Don't go mad with eating it all, that cost me a literal fortune." Arc groaned, making his way over to Malcolm. He smiled kindly to the Son of Athena, all thoughts of him being a spy pushed away, but were still present. He narrowed his eyes in scrutiny at the campers in the room, eying anyone that looked suspicious as he took his rifle back, thanking him for looking after it and the others.

He stepped over to Percy, a serious expression on his face as he nodded him over, out of earshot of Annabeth who was still lying in the lounge chair, fidgetting with a book in hand.

"I just got ambushed while I was out." He whispered to his brother's surprised expression. "But this was different. I confronted their commander before I dispatched of it. Apparently, we have a spy in our midst, that's how they knew where to find me. I didn't sense them or anything, it was only when they were closer I could. Someone and I think we know who, was covering them from my Mist, hoping to get me out of the equation." Percy looked at him surprised as he looked around at the Hunters, stood on each corner of the balcony, scanning their surroundings, Thalia still on the roof doing the same.

"I'm not sure what to believe right now, whether it was telling the truth or lying. Just take care who you discuss things with, people you trust. And ensure no one is listening in on discussions." Arc finished, looking over Percy's shoulder at the mass of campers inside, stuffing their faces with the crisps he'd bought. Percy nodded, a serious expression on his face as his attention was drawn away from his brother, up to Thalia yelling down at him.

"Percy. We've got a problem. We've got a Frost Giant baring a white flag with Ethan, an Empousai and a Titan coming this way." She stated, looking down at him for his next directions.

"Perseus Jackson. We come under a flag of a temporary truce, Please will you join us down here, we only wish to talk." The Titan yelled, looking up at the Demigod's leaning over the railing. Arc looked over at his brother, tapping his phone in his top pocket.

"Call me, I'll have it on speaker. If they try anything, I'll intervene." Arc explained, patting the rifle hung across his stomach. Percy hesitated before nodding, looking up to Thalia.

"Come with me, I want you and Grover there." Percy ordered, receiving a stoic nod from the Hunter in return. Arc looked surprised at the mention of Grover, not even realising he was here with them. He turned to see him stood in the doorway. Under different circumstances, he'd greet his friend cheerfully but now was not the time for cheerful banter.

He watched his brother make his way to the front door, Thalia and Grover in tow before he set up a sniping position in front of Annabeth, who protested on their exit.

"Annabeth, you're still recovering. They will be fine, I won't let anything happen to them." Arc stated a serious expression on his face. His phone wrung in his pocket, hearing Percy's voice on the other end. "Put me on speaker Perce, I have you on speaker too so I can have both hands on the gun." He explained, placing the phone on the table beside him.

"Try anything funny, and my friend up there won't hesitate." Percy growled in a menacing tone that sent a shiver up his back. "What do you want?" Percy said, sitting opposite them.

"Percy Jackson. And his Brother Arcmelos. It is a great honour." The Titan said in a silky voice. He heard and saw the Empousai hiss at his brother, twitching as if ready to pounce on him. Arc cleared his throat blatantly, making a point to switch the gun's safety to single shot, watching the Empousai shrink back into its seat.

"Why don't you go and sit over there." The Titan suggested, looking over to a park bench. He patted the Empousai's arm as it slipped from under his, watching as it slinked off to the bench behind, glaring at the Demigod's around.

"Ethan. You're looking good." Percy mused, getting a glare followed by a growl in response.

"Let's get down to business." The Titan started. "I am Prometheus." He declared, extending his hand out to Percy. He watched him shake it hesitantly, watching the Titans every move, seeing Thalia and Grover doing the same.

"The fire-stealing-guy? The chained to rocks getting pecked by vultures Prometheus?" Percy wondered, staring up at him sceptically. He saw the Titan wince, a twitch to his eye as he nodded, hearing his silky voice come over the phone, not realising Annabeth stood shakily beside him, to engrossed in what was happening.

"Keep an eye out on all other directions, just in case." He ordered the Hunters around him, not too keen to listen to his orders but was surprised to see they did.

"Yes although I don't like the mention of Vultures." He explained, scratching at the scars on his face. "I was freed by Hercules aeons ago, which is why I have a soft spot for Heroes, especially ones I can reason with and have a civilised conversation with. Well. Beside's your brother up there." He smiled without emotion up to him, Arc grinning in response.

"Unlike the company that you keep." Percy jabbed, tapping on the table in front of him in a pattern, a nervous twitch. Arc moved his sights outwards a little so he was looking at the full picture, not focusing much on the conversation between the two all that much. He focused the lens once he'd reached the desired distance he'd see, tuning back in.

"... Didn't show you the full story, perhaps if you understood." Before Arc realised, the Titan had reached over, touching Percy's forehead for a second before pulling away, leaning back into his seat as he picked something from the floor carefully beside him, Arc's blood running cold.

"If you change your mind, I have a gift for you." Prometheus explained, placing a jar in between them, hearing all three gasp through the phone, Annabeth doing the same from beside him. "This belongs to my sister-in-law." Prometheus explained at his brother's confused expression. "Pandora." He finished looking up to him.

"As in, the box, Pandora?" Percy wondered, staring at the vase before him. He heard the Titan huff, aiming the sight to his face to see him shaking his head, eyes-rolling.

"I don't know where this box came from. It never was a box, it was a phitos. A storage jar." He explained. Arc stood stunned at what he was hearing. First, he gets told there is a spy in their midst and now they're being handed Pandora's Box or jar whatever.

"I am gifting this to you, once it is gifted it can never return to the original person, always the one that has received it. If you have seen enough death and destruction. Open this jar. Release Hope and I will know you have surrendered. Kronos has promised to myself and the others he will be lenient and will spare those who survived." Percy sat stunned at what he was hearing, everyone was, watching as the Titan ordered everyone to pack up and leave.

"I will see you soon Percy Jackson. And you Arcmelos Jackson. One way or another." He smiled coldly, everyone watching as they left. Percy stood, Thalia and Grover in tow as he ended the call, cradling the jar carefully in his hands as he made his way up to their room.

"Put this in your car Arc and hide it, I don't want to see it." Percy spat venomously as he watched the keyring morph to a classic Mini Cooper, one of the lightest cars he could think of as he gently placed the jar in the back, before pressing the logo once more.

He looked at Thalia in disbelief on the events that transpired, watching her head shake, just as confused and shocked as he. He sat once more on the roof, watching over Annabeth and Percy, Thalia beside him once more as she scouted and refusing to sleep. He sighed in defeat as he began tinkering with his P90, fixing the enchantments and changing parts on the gun to help pass the time, the Dracnae's words still haunting him.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – When Pigs Fly

Arc sighed as he handed Thalia his rifle, still feeling drained from the events of the morning. He laid on another lounger, happy to lay on it and sleep, the beds around the top floor all occupied by wounded and other campers. He was asleep for a couple of hours, feeling the energy released from the Gift of Poseidon slowly renewing in him.

A loud boom woke him up, startling him as he leapt up from his spot, rushing over to the balcony railing. His eyes widened in shock as he looked out over the city, something he'd never thought he'd see in his life.

"Why is there a flying pig?" He started, glancing to Percy to his right. "I am dreaming right?" He asked, looking to the others. Percy shook his head, Thalia piping up from the left of him.

"No, we see it too." She muttered, shock on her face.

Arc took the rifle from Thalia, pulling the slider back, readying the chamber. He took a single shot at the beast, watching as the round ricocheted off of the hind. He sighed, rubbing his face tiredly as he handed the sight over to Thalia.

"Keep an eye on us please." He looked over to Annabeth, confused about why she was dressed in her armour. "You're still recovering you know, one more day then you're good to go." He stated, running off into the room, hearing more cannon fire like sounds from behind.

He emerged with a makeshift grapple hook in his hand made out of some chain he'd found in the maintenance room and the head of two fire axes held tightly together with The Mist, hoping it would do the trick.

"How many did you manage to get online, I'm going to divert it to them, see if the automatons can help out in taking it down."

"A few, but they're all guarding roads we couldn't afford the manpower on. If Percy and I make our way around, there are a few around Central Park we didn't have time to get online." Annabeth explained, looking hopeful up to him. Arc looked torn, glancing to his brother.

"Are you sure you're feeling well enough to do this?" He wondered, watching her nod with determination. "Fine, you and Percy go and activate some more Automatons, I'll keep the beast distracted enough for them to help." He explained, peering over his shoulder, seeing the beast getting closer.

"Can't believe I'm about to do this." He muttered to himself, leaping off of the balcony, just as the pig flew by. He landed on the pigs back, hearing a squeal from the best in retaliation, flying into a building to get the flea off of its back. He wobbled for balance, seeing Percy and Annabeth running towards Central Park, a few Hunters in tow for protection.

The wind whipped around him, making everything very hard to hear as he made his way to the beast's collar. He shimmied down the red band making his way to the name collar, feeding the chain and axe ends through the hole holding the name tag.

Phaea.

He tugged on the grapple, hearing another squeal in response as it nose-dived in an attempt to shift him off once more, holding on with all his strength. He saw a glimpse of Bronze below, two Automatons running his way. He wrapped the chain around his foot and hand, tugging for the beast to nose-dive once more.

"Come on you oversized piece of Bacon, do what you're told." He grumbled, straining as he pulled, the red aura slowly beginning to surround him.

The beast obeyed, spiralling down to the floor where he saw the statue of Hermes grabbing for the chain he had to extend with the Mist. He breathed harshly at the overexertion he was having to do, his little strength not helping the matter.

He watched the statue grab hold, the chain tightening, even more as he winced at the pain on his ankle. The statue began a slow cautious climb, the beast trying to shake him free. They slammed into the sides of buildings as they flew, eventually flying upward.

He saw a black blur from overhead, two people riding on the back as Percy and Annabeth rode on Blackjack. He waved them off, losing his balance from the jostle the beast made, twisting his ankle in the chain, dangling him upside down. He forced himself to do a sit-up, just in time for the statue of Hermes and nearly him to slam into the edge of a building.

That was nearly fatal. The wind whipped past his head as he tried to grab for the chain, the searing pain from his ankle as the beast flew erratically in the New York skyline. The Hermes statue ignored the boy's presence, climbing over him, his bronze eyes set on the beast above.

He could hear squealing from above when the statue managed to find its footing on the back of the beast, hearing puncturing sounds followed by deafening screeches from beside him, all the while still trying to get out from the chains.

This was it. This was how it all ended for him.

He heard the pig squeal harshly once more before the beast went limp, hurtling towards the train station below. Grand Central Station. His life flashed before his eyes as he plummeted to the building below. He saw his mum, Poseidon, his motorsport career, his brother, his friends. Thalia.

His mind flickered to Terry and Rachael, realisation washing over him as he saw the statue fall past him from such a height and crashed into the building, debris falling over him. He looked up through the hole of the station, just as he was about to hit the debris a spec of black blurred from above as he fell almost in slow motion before everything went black.

**Percy's POV**

I watched it. I watched my brother die and I was powerless to do a thing. I tried to steer Blackjack down and fast into a nose-dive, Annabeth's screams a washed-out noise over the sound of the wind. I watched him crash through the building, the light leaving his eyes as the statue fell first and heaviest through the top of the building, dust showering over him.

We landed outside of the station, running through the main entranceway, Annabeth in tow. The sound of our sobs echoed through the quite station as we saw him lying motionless in the middle of the station, much like the others around, but he wasn't sleeping.

He laid on piles of rubble, the broken Automaton underneath, crushed by the falling station's debris, covered in dust a mixture of monster and debris. I babbled like a baby as I knelt beside him, Annabeth opposite in very much the same position, crying on his chest, begging him to come back. But it was fruitless, we both knew it.

I collected his body, ready to take it back to the others for burial at a later date, anger burning inside of me. I looked to Annabeth as I held my brother's limp body in my arms, placing him carefully on the back of Blackjack who bowed slightly to the firstborn of the Sea god in a long time.

I turned and hugged Annabeth tightly, sobbing into her comforting embrace, hearing and feeling the sobs that wracked her body. She climbed on to the front of Blackjack whilst I climbed behind her, a slow flight back to the Hotel. Everyone cheered on arrival, the sound stopping instantly at the sight of my brother, dead on the back of Blackjack.

I watched as Thalia pushed through the hushed murmurs, the smile leaving her face instantly before she dropped to her knees, wailing at her fallen friend. I watched as Annabeth jumped off, reaching for Thalia, collecting her in her arms and walked her back inside. I ran my fingers over his forehead in a comforting manner, through his hair expecting him to grumble and bat me away.

But nothing happened.

How was I going to explain this to Mum and Paul? Paul, it would be simple, just in a freak Motorsport incident but mum, she deserved to know the truth.

As the day went on, Thalia turned stoic. A shell of her former self, mainly due to the Hunters close proximity. They all watched as they flew off towards Arcs house just on the outskirts of the city, wanting to bury him in a peaceful place. We didn't get the chance to burn him. The pyre was formed, awaiting his body while Arc laid on the sofa. I kept looking over expecting him to stretch and yawn, to get up.

But nothing happened.

There was a commotion overhead, a Helicopter flying over the top of Annabeth and I. Dare Industries emblazoned on the side as it slowly lost control. We both stared, wide-eyed as we jumped on Blackjack, having to return to put Arc to rest after. When the helicopter got closer to the city, the Pilot was knocked unconscious with whatever it was Kronos had managed to do to make the entire city sleep, watching Dare helplessly in the back struggling to remove her seatbelt.

I watched as Annabeth opened the door to the helicopter and jumped off the back of Blackjack, into the Copilot seat. I was stunned as I saw her flicking switches to change the pilot position. She levelled it out, flying the helicopter carefully back to the hotel where she landed safely just inside Central Park my mouth agape.

"I didn't know you could fly a helicopter." I gaped, helping Annabeth out of the cockpit.

"Neither did I, my dad is heavily into aviation and there were a few flying machines on Daedalus' laptop, so I must have picked up a few things." She breathed, opening the sliding back door for Rachel, the rotors overhead slowly stopping.

"What in Hades name are you doing here Rachel? This is a warzone right now. And now isn't a very good time. Arc has... Fell." Annabeth finished, choking back more tears.

"What... Really? He's... Percy I'm so sorry." She comforted, bringing me into a brief hug. I saw Annabeth's irritation flare at the sight, so I pulled back nodding.

"What are you doing here Dare?" I wondered as we all made our way to the hotel entrance.

"I need to talk to you. I had a dream." She started to explain as we dinged past floor after floor before landing on the penthouse suite.

"Right, you came here to tell me a dream?" I wondered, looking sceptical at her. She nodded seriously as she ushered me into a back room, closing the door behind us.

"Yes. This may sound crazy, but you're not the saviour of Olympus." My heart stopped, staring at her in shock.


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm glad to know you're enjoying the rewrite Guest! Thank you!**

**Percy's POV**

Chapter 7 - Dealing with Death

I still couldn't believe he was gone. I barely got the chance to know him, only spending summer together with when he had to lie to Paul and mum saying he was in England after camp disbanded. It had only been a couple of days since his death, finally finding the time to burn him after the Hotel was nearly stormed and overrun. I had to use his rings that I placed around my necklace, bringing out each of his many multitudes of weapons, running out of ammo to fire them. I couldn't pull the rounds from the Mist as he could.

The world inside the bubble awoke one day, mid-July the war raging on for a month, everything on the outskirts still sleeping, and that was a problem for us all. I feared what people saw shimmering before them, covered with Mist, even more so when they ran around screaming at the happenings around them. I wish Arc was here to calm them, use the Mist to bend their eyesight to see something else.

But he wasn't.

I had to break the news to our parents, finding them down an alley, someone had pushed their Prius down. She was crushed, looking around at the devastation around them, barely getting the chance to know her son after fifteen years of life, coming up for sixteen that he'd never reach. Paul was lost for words as he tried to comfort her, fear shimmering in his eyes at the destruction around him, finally seeing the light once I gave him a brief rundown on the current situation.

Kronos used this as a ploy to try and get my army to change our plans, but it didn't work. We split our efforts, the Satyrs present rushing everyone to safety underground in the subway, escaping down and through the tunnels away from the death and destruction. I wished I could join them, this war was neverending.

The gods were still struggling to suppress Typhon, causing havoc all over the country, a freak weather storm the TV's were saying in downtown electronic stores. Poseidon's war still raged on under the sea against Oceanus, getting dangerously close to destroying his home. I had to get him to see the light of day, fight with the gods and let his kingdom fall. He was one of the Big Three, he needed to help out his brother while Hades cowered with Demeter and Persephone in the Underworld.

I was starting to grow weary. Annabeth, Thalia and I were constantly arguing over what to do, to the point of causing everyone around us headaches. Ares Cabin still hadn't shown up, my pleas over Iris messaging not getting through to Clarisse's thick-headed skull.

It was a living nightmare.

Fights broke out among our own ranks, what little was left of us all, causing more problems.

"This is not helping is it!" I snapped one day in the middle of August a day before my Birthday, our Birthday; quieting the entire room. "We are currently bickering amongst ourselves while we let Kronos win! This is what he wants, to break us down from the inside! I was already informed by my brother before he died we had a spy in our ranks, so whoever you are you will not get away with it!" I yelled the anger flowing.

Murmurs broke out from the campers and Hunters, watching as they looked to each other, now sceptical of people they called a friend. It was the wrong move to make, and I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.

"I have a plan," I said quietly, bringing the three I trusted most over to the balcony. "It's suicide but I need to get my Father's attention somehow. I'm going to need all of your help to achieve it, no questions asked." I ordered, looking to the three. They all nodded hesitantly, something I was thankful for as I pushed my way through the few remaining campers and Hunters, making it to the elevator.

"I plan on sitting in his Throne to gain his attention, I've tried in every other way and can't get a word in, in time." I sighed, looking to them as we descended down the elevator.

"Percy that's idiotic, there's a reason that the gods want their Thrones unharmed and to themselves, there is so much power running through them that you'll be killed instantly, if not turned insane!" Annabeth tried to reason with me. I shook my head, sighing as we made our way over to the Empire State Building.

"Regardless, I have to do it. Arc would do something insane like this too, and if he was here he'd agree with me." I sighed, stepping into the elevator leading to Olympus.

"But he's not here, we are. You can't go through with this, Percy." Thalia sighed, shaking her head. That stung my heart a bit, as I looked to each of them in defeat.

"This war has gone on long enough, he needs to stop defending his home, it can be rebuilt once this is all over, but their seats of Power cannot." I finished, ascending the large steps leading to the Throne Room, the streets around deserted. "Gimme a leg up." I sighed, watching as they formed a step with their arms.

I stepped on their arms carefully, feeling weightless briefly as I flew up to the edge of Poseidon's Throne, catching the edge with my hand. I pulled myself up, feeling the power hum through me in an instant, realising that Annabeth was right. This power was incredible.

"WHO DARES SIT-" Poseidon bellowed before stopping. "Percy. What are you doing on my Throne, I nearly destroyed your sanity." Poseidon stated, his voice no longer reverberating around my head. I felt dizzy and sick, blinking through the pain.

"Sorry Father, I needed to reach you so we could have a chat. We really need you up here to stop this war with Typhon, it's getting dangerously close to New York and everything will be over if it reaches here." I tried.

"Percy." He sighed, I imagined him rubbing his face tiredly. "I can't leave my home to be destroyed, see if Arc can do anything to help with Typhon." He finished. I felt the connection loosening as my body was slowly succumbing to the immense power.

"Dad, Arc is no longer with us. He died two months ago." I whimpered, trying to hold back the tears.

"He's... What? No." Poseidon muttered. "How..." He wondered.

"He fell to his death from a great height, I couldn't get to him in time." I cried, feeling the tears flowing down my face.

"Percy, I'm so sorry." He sighed, his tone wobbling. "What is your plan on bringing down Typhon." He wondered after a long quiet pause, his voice soft and comforting, the feeling of power I was feeling, dimming.

"I need you to bring everyone at your disposal to the Hudson, we can force him underwater if your army brings him underwater and drown him." I breathed, calming down the tears. I felt Poseidon nod his head in thought before he answered.

"Very well son, I will see to it." He sighed. "You might want to get off of my Throne now before the power consumes you." He finished, breaking the connection.

I jumped off, landing with a role as I met with my friends below, surprising me when they all brought me into a hug.

"We miss him too." Thalia breathed, tears rolling down her face, surprising me. I nodded and swallowed thickly, making my way to the exit, the others in tow once I'd pulled away.

"Come on, we need to get down there before Typhon arrives." I started, hearing a loud boom from below. We rushed over to the elevator, our nightmares getting worse when we saw what was happening down there.

A Drakon charged into buildings, knocking corners off of them as the debris fell and scattered around us. My anger got the better of me once more, flicking my last Drachma through a leaking fire hydrant, the light from the hot sun making a rainbow.

"Clarisse LaRue, Camp Half-Blood," I growled. The Mist shimmered, her big head in the frame. "LaRue, if you hang up on me, I will bring your worst nightmares to life," I growled, her neutral face staring back at me. "It has been hell these past two months, We currently have a Drakon attacking us and have such little numbers now. We've lost too many people **including my** **brother**, so can you see fit that you and your Cabin come to help with this- GARRGH!" I yelled in anger, watching as she cut her hand through the Iris. I punched the wall in front of me, feeling no pain as my fist cracked the wall. I stormed over to where the few Campers we had left were trying to hold back the advancing monsters.

A horn sounded from behind their ranks, a horde of Centaurs came cruising through, knocking monsters to the floor and trampling them to death, the dust flying around them.

The Party Ponies.

I cheered in relief, along with the camp behind at the sight before us. We stood and watched as the Centaurs gathered up all the Campers that they could, bringing them back to him. Chiron stood beside me, smiling widely down at us.

"Well done Heroes. Sorry, it took me so long to get here, I was running around the entire country gathering every member I could for this fight, and helping along the way when I could with the gods." He breathed, looking somewhat exhausted down at me. I nodded in understanding, my eyes shimmering up at him, happy to see him at last. "Where is Arcmelos." He huffed, short of breath as he scanned the campers around him.

"He didn't make it." I sighed, holding back the tears, the wound still fresh. Chiron looked down at me, sadness in his eyes, nodding in understanding.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He sighed, looking up to the advancing army that had been disrupted by the Party Ponies, a comforting hand on my shoulder.

An explosive roar was heard once more from within the massive army, the Ares Cabin springing into action from within their ranks. A flying Chariot flew overhead, Clarisse and Chris son of Hermes stood on the chariot, firing down upon the ranks of monsters as she yelled orders.

"I don't think I've ever been so happy to see her in my life." I mused, hearing snickers from behind.

We all stood and watched as Clarisse leapt off of the chariot, a cloak around her as she fought alongside her cabin, Chris taking off once more, providing directions and air support.

"To Arms!" I ordered, yelling at the top of my lungs. We all charged into the fray weapons raised as we helped, Chiron commanding his Party Ponies.

It was a blood bath for both sides.

Our side took down more than they did of us, but campers still fell. The Party Ponies tried to help those in need, but some fell trying to do so, their numbers were dwindling. The Drakon smashed into the side of the building, shooting debris over people, some being buried along with Chiron.

The devastating destruction caused by Typhon began to rock the foundations of New York, the floor rumbling beneath us as we saw in the distance the gods trying to hold him back. Kronos appeared before us amidst the chaos.

I growled at Luke who stood grinning widely at the scene before him, watching the few campers left to try to stop the advancing army.

"What's the matter Perseus? There's no hiding behind your brother this time. I know he's gone now, killed by a giant flying pig." He laughed, taunting me, and it was working. "What an embarrassing way to die." He howled. I growled in anger, ready to attack him there and then, Riptide in hand when a hand pulled me back. I looked to see Annabeth, her face sympathetic as she shook her head.

"It's what he wants, distract you, overwhelm you then get into Olympus." She reasoned. I breathed, containing my rising anger as I watched the destruction behind Kronos, the Drakon smashing into buildings wildly and Typhon still advancing on their position.

"Where are you, Father." I muttered to myself, watching as Clarisse fell, my heart-stopping.

We watched her drop, the chariot landing beside her as Chris jumped out, sprinting over to her. I knelt beside her, removing the hood over her eyes, surprised to see it wasn't Clarisse.

"Silena?" I wondered, looking down at her in confusion. She coughed, blood trickling from her mouth as she looked up at me, sorrow in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Percy. I. I was the Spy. I was manipulated much like Chris. Was, when Beck. Di-Died." She tried struggling for breath. It all clicked into place for me, the reasons why everything happened, it was Silena.

"It's okay, Silena. You redeemed yourself." I smiled, comforting her in her last breaths. "Go be with Beck." I smiled, a stray tear rolling down my face, watching as the last breath escaped, her head rolling to the side, her eyes glazing over. Clarisse broke through the crowd, looking down on her fallen friend, something that surprised me even more.

Her appearance started to glow, staring down at her friend lying in a pool of her own blood, cut down before her time. She growled as the Gift of Ares took control of her body, attacking the Drakon on her own.

A pit opened in the streets behind us, Hades emerging on a Stygian Iron Chariot accompanied with Demeter and Persephone. Nico stepped out from behind them, Mrs O'Leary with him as he commanded an army of Undead. I watched in awe with the remaining campers as Hades raised his new Weapon of Power, the undead rushing from the pit from behind them into the battle.

"Mrs O'Leary!" I called, gaining her attention. She flicked her head to me, a happy expression crossing her face as she charged over to me, Nico following behind, as I was assaulted with affectionate kisses. "Good girl." I cooed. "I need you to dig through that rubble and pull out anyone you find, okay?" I wondered, pointing to the rubble glancing the army of Undead charging the Drakon and Typhon. She licked my face once more, before rushing off to the pile of rubble, digging through the fallen building.

"Nico, its good to see you." I grinned, happy that backup had finally arrived. I watched as he looked around at us all, concern washing over his features, his expression looking panicked and jittery.

"Percy, there's something I need to tell you. It's about-" He was cut short by a thunderous boom the two of us jumping in surprise, rain beginning to fall from the sky.

"Sorry, Nico. Hold that thought." I apologised, watching as a cold jet of frozen breath blasted Clarisse, Typhon stepping into battle. She shivered on the sidewalk, Chris beside her and a thick cloak around her, that looked a little familiar. I watched as Nico rushed to his Father's aid, commanding more Undead from the Underworld to take down the Drakon once and for all.

Typhon stepped closer, the gods with him, as I summoned a vortex of water from the water around me, feeling the energy hum around me as I stood to be level with his face much to the amazement of the others around. I blasted his face, over and over with jets of water, drawing his attention to me as I drew it back to the Hudson behind me, hoping my Father was there and ready.

As I drew closer, I could sense the water from behind, and summoned a huge tidal wave crashing down atop Typhon, dazing him. I struggled for breath at the overexertion that small amount of power used drained me. The vortex cut out from beneath me, feeling Blackjack catch me in time, dropping me off back to safety, as the gods still worked on a dazed Typhon.

"Thank you, Blackjack," I muttered tiredly.

"No problem, Boss." I heard in response in my head, accompanied by a horses whinny. I pulled a bag of Ambrosia from my back pocket, watching as Blackjack flew to safety once more, stuffing my face with a square that tasted of Arc's Apple Pie, the memories flooding my head once more.

"Percy!" I heard Annabeth yell, sprinting towards me. I ran over to her, fear for her safety as I guided her back to a safe distance, watching the gods struggle with Typhon still over her shoulder.

"It's Kronos," She breathed. "He's inside Olympus."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 - Once and For All

"Thalia, Grover!" I called, sprinting over to them, Annabeth in tow. "With me, everyone else, no one follows us in but the gods when they're finished!" I ordered. We all sprinted up to the elevator, spamming the button to get the lift down quicker. It doesn't really do that but it was a peace of mind to myself. The elevator dinged as we all rushed in, Annabeth swiping the card she still held to get to Olympus as the elevator flew through the sky at breakneck speeds, stopping on Olympus.

We stepped out, rushing and quickly stopping as we watched the floor and buildings crumbling away, revealing the city streets below.

"We have to be careful, this place could fall apart at any moment." Annabeth breathed. We stepped over the bridge cautiously as cracks appeared at the straining weight, before we broke out into a sprint once more, taking care of the disintegrating floor beneath our feet.

"Jump!" Grover yelled as the floor gave out on the bridge, the bridge falling to the city below.

"I hate heights." Thalia breathed, looking down below as they stood safely on the otherside in the small village.

"We're on our own, no one is coming up to help." Annabeth muttered, staring at the empty space where the bridge used to be.

The little village looked like a wasteland, fearing what Kronos was doing to the place as we saw him at the top of the steps, walking into the Throne Room. We all rushed up the winding path leading up the to steps. It felt like Kronos was messing with time, making this journey even longer that what it usually felt.

"Brick by Brick! I did promise!" I heard Kronos yell from atop the staircase, leading to the Throne Room.

We continued running under the Marble arch in the middle of the first flight of stairs, when we felt the ground beneath us rumble.

"Look out!" Grover yelled, ahead of us.

I felt weightless for a moment as I landed beside Annabeth on the hard marble floor, cracks and holes dotting around it. We turned to see Thalia behind us, trapped beneath a statue of Hera, tears pooling in her eyes at her trapped leg.

"GO!" Thalia strained, trying hard not to cry out in pain. "I'm not going anywhere, I'll have to wait to be healed by Apollo." She panted, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Stop him at all costs." She finished, pressing her forehead to the ground, releasing a pained sob. I looked torn at Annabeth, hearing an evil laugh from within. We sprinted into the Throne Room, as I tackled Kronos to the ground, away from the Throne.

"Perseus. Why must you test me." He growled, throwing me to the floor. I slid for a moment, watching as Annabeth and Grover charged him, beside her as they yelled, Daggers in hand. I watched as he tossed them like a rag doll across the room, Annabeth slamming into the base of a pillar, Grover sliding to a roll beside her; fearing the worst. I heard a groan of pain from the two, standing once more with Riptide brandished, charging the twisted grinning Son of Hermes before me.

Our swords clashed together in a shower of sparks, as I strained against the strength of the Reforming Titan Lord. I kicked his stomach, watching as he flew backwards, rolling by the Brazier in the centre. He stood, sword arcing over head as I side stepped, catching the sword on its downward swing, showering the cracked marble beneath us.

He shoved me back, using his extra strength against me as I slid along the floor, rolling to a stop as the Brazier in the centre shimmered to show the scene happening below.

"Its over, Perseus. Watch as Typhon finishes the last bit of strength these puny gods possess." Kronos taunted. I stood, transfixed on the screen as Typhon started pushing back from the Hudson, feeling around me the final biggest lightning bolt Zeus could summon hit Typhon, the room echoing with the explosion as all it did was daze Typhon once more, the gods now spent of their energy.

I sighed in relief as I watched Poseidon and his Army of charging Cyclops ranks burst from the water behind, chains wrapping around Typhon as they all struggled to pull him into his watery grave. He watched as bubbles rose to the surface before nothing happened, his attention brought back to Kronos as his anger flaired.

"Now my Brethren, FIGHT FOR OLYMPUS!" Tyson yelled, pointing his sword to the charging monsters behind, the campers below still trying to hold them back.

"NOOO!" Kronos bellowed, his voice booming around him. He turned, his eyes blazing molten gold as he rushed me, sword flailing as I tried to block every advancing blow, each one getting more and more powerful.

It was like fighting a hundred expertly trained swordsman. I felt his heel on my stomach as he mimicked my tactic, as I fell backwards diving from his sword swipe that tore through my Chestplate. My hand instinctively went to the extra ring on my necklace, but it was gone.

The chord was strawn on the floor at my feet, Kronos must have swiped that too but I still couldn't see the Shield Ring. I felt the air escape my lungs as a powerful fist connected with my stomach in my momentary lapse in concentration, knocking me a few metres away from where I stood, sliding on the smooth marble floor. I stared up at Kronos, watching the sneer grow on his face as he raised Backbiter to my throat.

"So much trouble you've caused me." He rumbled, his voice gruff, nothing akin to Lukes, his eyes still ablaze. I watched as he raised his sword, ready to join my brother in the Afterlife, forgetting my invincibility altogether. I blinked up at him, staring death in the face when he vanished from over the top of me. I blinked in confusion as I looked to where he now was, pressed up against a Throne, a look of fear crossing his face.

My head whipped to the door, expecting to see the gods stood in the doorway, but it was still closed and no gods were present. I scrambled over to where my two friends were on the floor, scooping my necklace and beads up in the process, replacing them in my hand with some bagged Ambrosia from my back pocket, feeding Annabeth as I stared in confusion as an invicible force threw Kronos across the room.

Annabeth groaned as she rested on her back, her breathing hagard as she recovered, Grover leaning up and tending to her.

"You alright, Grover?" I wondered. He nodded, hissing as he breathed.

"Yeah just a bit sore." He cringed.

"Percy!" I heard Luke call. I turned to face him, watching as Golden Ichor flowed from his nose as he continued, his body trying to glow gold, ready for Kronos to fully reform. "This is getting out of hand now. He's nearly reformed and once he's done with me, he's going to kill me. All of us, he won't keep his promise." He wheezed. "Give me Annabeth's dagger, only I know where the spot is, quickly while I still have control." His voice strained as his face morphed to one of complete agony.

Then it hit me. The prophecy, Cursed blade shall reap.

"You wretched Demigod, let me take control!" Screamed Kronos' voice in anger. Luke cringed once more as he fought back control.

I swiped up a dagger from beside Annabeth, cautiously walking over to him, expecting it to be a trap. I dropped the dagger beside him, Riptide by my side in defence. I watched the war inside of him, his eyes changing from blue and gold as he fought his own hand, slowly making its way to the back of his thigh. He howled in pain as he made a small cut, as if he'd just been stabbed brutally as his eyes turned back to blue from being Gold.

"Thank you." He wheezed. I heard Annabeth make her way over to beside me, watching as she dropped to her knees before him, tears flowing from her eyes.

"I almost killed you Annabeth..." He breathed. "Almost let him win." He struggled, swallowing thickly as he dropped the bloodied blade by his side.

"Shhh." She began, running her hand over his forehead. "You were a hero in the end Luke. Elysium awaits you." She struggled to smile, the tears overflowing her face.

I stared down to Annabeth during their private exchange, tears rolling down my face as I thought of my brother once more. He was somewhere in Elysium, I hope. At peace, with his old Parental Figures.

"-Were like a brother to me." Annabeth choked a laugh, staring up at me, before glancing back to him. "I loved you as a brother." She smiled, her lower lip trembling. He nodded, the movement subtle as his eyes looked up to me and Grover.

"Percy. The unclaimed... Don't let it happe-." He tried to start, as I stared down at him as the last breath escaped his lips, eyes glazing over. The tears flowed freely as I understood his message, make the gods see the error in their ways, make them recognise their children so nothing happens like this again.

The Throne Room doors burst open, the gods all stepping into the room as I smiled sadly over to Thalia, walking in on crutches, aided by Apollo.

"We're going to need a Shroud of Hermes." I stated, my voice cracking, staring once more down to the body of Luke.

I watched the gods zoom around at a fast pace, fixing up their Throne Room enough so it was safe, wiping off the fallen debris and dust from their Thrones, as they looked down to us all. We all stood in a row, Annabeth to my left Grover on my right.

The doors opened once more as the others came in, Nico in front followed by his Father, stunned at the round of applause he recieved from everyone in the room. I was stunned at the events happening before me, the gods all praising their children, Ares to Clarisse, Mr D to his only son left, surprising me further when addressed me with my correct name. I watched as Grover ran around, tending to those that were wounded, smiling softly over to Annabeth.

I looked over my shoulder, seeing Thalia sat on the base of a pillar, crutches by her side as she examined her leg, turning it every so often.

Hera looked down at Annabeth and I with disdain, nothing new there. She never did like us. I heard Tyson next before I saw him, tackling me from behind.

"BROTHER!" He yelled happily. I smiled as I turned, hugging him back with all my remaining strength. "You're not dead!" He smiled. I laughed lightly, shaking my head.

"Besides Arc, unfortunately." I sighed, looking up to his saddening face. Tyson nodded in understanding, looking down to me once more.

"I know, Daddy told me. Was very sad to hear. But Chaining Typhon distracted me." He sighed, a small smile breaking through. I laughed once more nodding.

"I know I saw, He was getting a bit cocky and tried to show me the gods downfall, when you all burst from the water, chaining him and taking him to a watery grave." I grinned up at him, watching his excitedly nodding head.

"He led us into battle!" A cyclops grinned widely, slapping Tyson on the back.

"Bravest of the Cyclops!" Another yelled from behind, a blush forming on Tyson's face.

"Was nothing." He smiled bashfully.

Poseidon followed in soon after, a sad smile directed to me as he patted my shoulder.

"Well done, Percy." He smiled, before making his way to his Throne. We stood in silence as the body of Luke was burnt, Hermes stood with tears in his eyes as he watched his son's body be burnt, as he was sent off to the Underworld. The room was silent for a time as the gods sat in their Thrones, their power slowly restoring, before Zeus began council, looking around the room.

"Poseidon, we all extend our thanks, and to you too Hades, for your help in defeating Typhon. Without you it would've been..." Zeus paused, unable to find the right word.

"Difficult?" His two brothers chimed in, innocently.

"Impossible." He smiled, looking to each of them. "And to your armies as well, with out them these fine Demigod's would not be here with us right now." He stated addressing everyone else in the room.

"Demigods." Boomed Zeus' voice after a brief silence. "You have done well. You have done us a great service and we thank you. You will be rewarded for your brave actions, every last one of you." Zeus looked to his daughter, watching as she struggled with the crutches to step forward.

"My Lieutenant. You did me well on the battlefield, I'm sure the Hunters fallen will Achieve Elysium." Artemis smiled, looking to Hades.

He hummed in question, as I smiled. He was clearly still dazed on the days events, the time getting late and his surprisingly welcome entrance must have affected him.

"Yes, yes. I'll speed their application Process along nicely towards Judgement." He smiled to Artemis, surprising the gods further.

"Thank you my lady." She smiled, bowing to Artemis and Hades before grinning up to me, something I found odd.

"Tyson! Son of Poseidon." Zeus boomed. I nodded to him in encouragement, watching as he nervously approached the centre of the room.

"Tyson, for your brave actions on defeating Typhon, we extend to you the finest weapon you desire, be it axe or sword." Poseidon smiled down at him.

"A STICK!" He yelled excitedly, Zeus turning to his brother in confusion.

"Uhm.. Yes. We will find the biggest, strongest stick for you to wield." Zeus shook his head in amazement, hearing the collection of Cyclops roar in excitment.

"Hooray!" I watched him yell, making his way over to his cyclops brothers.

"Grover Underwood, of the Satyrs." Zeus smiled, as he startled the Satyr watching him creep forward slightly. I smiled at his timid nature after seeing him these past months in battle, returning back to his old ways. I watched as Zeus looked down to Grover, then glanced to Dionysus, expectantly. Mr D tutted and rolled his eyes, looking rather unamused, down to the few campers gathered before them.

"Yes, I suppose you do. Grover Underwood, for your immense help throughout this war, myself and everyone here would like to extend to you the opportunity of a seat on the Cloven Council, in doing so you will become the new Lord of the Wild, doing so will set in motion a new age that Pan wanted yet could not achieve." He said, feigning disinterest.

Grover stood speechless, his shirt dropping from his mouth, nodding his head, his voice lost, before collapsing.

"Oh for goodness sake." Dionysus muttered, shaking his head. I watched as the band of nature spirits that were still left, dragged him away to the corner, fawning over him.

"FOOOOD!" I heard from the corner, chuckling to myself as I shook my head. I heard a hiss of pain from Thalia, looking to see her staring perfectly forward, as if nothing had happened. Must be my imagination.

"Annabeth Chase." Athena smiled proudly down to her daughter. I watched as Annabeth bowed from where she stood, awaiting her mothers words."Looking around at our home, we always felt that it could do with a remodel, a touch of modern decor. To you, we want you to rebuild the entirety of Olympus in whatever way you desire."

"And my Palace." Poseidon chipped in, glancing to Athena. She sighed tiredly, shaking her head as she continued.

"Yes. I suppose, and Poseidon's Palace." Athena finished, beaming once more down to her daughter. "I'm so proud of you."

I watched her from gawk at her mother, the words lost.

"Any way I want?" She breathed, the excitement hidden behind her words. Athena nodded and smiled once more down to her daughter. "I won't let you down." Annabeth smiled, bowing once more to her mother and my father.

"PERCY JACKSON!" My father bellowed proudly, the sight of it shimmering in his eyes. I bowed from where I stood, my head hung low as Arc flashed through my mind. "For you Perseus, we extend something we hope you will accept, we do not offer this to just anyone." Poseidon stated, a serious expression across his face. "To you, we wish to offer you godhood, becoming a minor god by my side in Atlantis." He finished, staring expectantly down to me.

I was stunned, I didn't know what to say. I looked to everyone in the room, the gods all staring at me expectantly their smiles kind. I looked to my friends who stared in shock, my eyes landing on Annabeth as she nodded encouragingly, her eyes swimming with tears. My eyes caught the sight of the Brazier in the centre, my brother coming to mind in an instant once more.

"Actually, I was hoping. Would it be possible to bring... To bring Arc back. I know it sounds selfish, but I barely got the chance to know him." I sighed as my vision began to swim, I looked to the gods and was shocked to see surprise on their faces.

"I'm afraid Perseus that, even such a feat as that is impossible for us gods, that includes the one in command of the Underworld." Poseidon sighed, looking down to me sympathetically. "I miss him too, son."

"Really!?" Yelled Thalia from beside me, startling us all, the crutches clattering to the floor as her arms flailed wildly. Her eyes were staring right at me as I felt the tears roll down my face, my anger flaring at the person I called friend.

"What? What do you mean really?! All I wanted was my brother back!" I yelled, the tears flowing. I felt Annabeth's hand on my back, rubbing it in comfort as the room grew quiet, everyone in the room including the gods staring in shock at Thalia.

I watched her eyes widen as they flickered to mine, her head shaking rapidly as her mouth moved, but no words came out.

"No, no no no no. That wasn't aimed at you! That was-" She cut herself off as she covered her mouth in shock, her face reddening.

"It was aimed at me. Sorry. I'm currently going through some fazes right now and forgot to out myself to you all again, sorry." A voice from no where said, hearing the cringe in his voice.

A Red and Black Aura dissipated from around the figure, my eyes widening in shock as the entire room gasped. I jumped back in shock, nearly knocking over Annabeth behind me as I stared up at the figure before me.

My Brother.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 - godly Intentions

**Percy POV until the first line break**

The room grew silent as they all stared at the supposed dead Son Of Poseidon.

"BROTHER! YOU'RE NOT DEAD TOO!" Tyson laughed, barreling into him. Arc's breath was quickly expelled from his lungs as he hugged his half brother back.

"Yeah, well." He began.

"Arc? What... You were dead! We burned you!" I yelled in confusion my arms flailing.

"Yeah and I appreciate that. I was stuck in limbo for a while before I got taken fully to judgement by Charon. I was in Elysium for a while having a chat with everyone I knew, Terry, Rachel and Beckendorf included." He grinned before cringing. "before I broke out." He sighed. We all watched as he glanced over to Hades on his Throne.

"Sorry about that, Hades. I'm pretty sure that's now ruined my chances of getting back there for when I die again. Especially seen as I made my break, through Tartarus." He mumbled the latter. We all stood gawking at him, waiting for him to explain his story of events. I rugby tackled him with a hug, hearing his laugh as he hugged me back. "I missed you too Perce." He grinned. The room grew quiet and cold for a long time before we looked up, noticing a lot of the gods were staring daggers at him, Zeus being the main one.

"We'll deal with you on your own later, in that case," Zeus growled. Arc swallowed thickly as he nodded curtly, the room getting warmer once more as they looked back to me, the lightbulb flashing in my mind as I finally understood the battle with Kronos.

"So it was you, who knocked Kronos away from me?" I wondered staring at him in awe. "I was so confused when I saw him being attacked from what seemed like nothing, you saved my life. Our lives." I grinned. Arc grinned back, nodding sheepishly, choosing to hum in response seen as he was already in the dog house so to speak. Zeus sighed with tiredness as he looked back to me, continuing his train of thought.

"Well, seen as you have your brother back now and we, ourselves couldn't grant that for you, our offer still stands. Do you wish to become a god at your Father's side?" Zeus asked, staring at me intently.

I looked around to everyone present in the room, mainly to my brother and Grover and Annabeth once more. I didn't have to be a Satyr to see the emotions rolling off of the two as they stared at Arc, indecisive on whether to hug him or hit him.

"Again I will have to decline this offer. But I would like something I see of equal value." I began. Everyone watched all the gods sit back in their seats, shifting as they stared down at me, awaiting my request. "If I may speak freely?" I wondered, staring to each of them.

"You may," Zeus commented, looking down at me.

"This war happened because you all don't have the time to recognise your children, in order for this to not occur again, I want you all to claim every child sired by you all, Minor gods included. As for the Minor gods, I want them to be more recognised than what they are now, as some also sided with Kronos. I also want Hades to have a permanent seat on Olympus, not just for the Winter Solstice and for you to free anyone you have imprisoned for false wrongdoings." I finished my voice breaking towards the end with all the demands. I stared up at the gods expecting them to shut me down instantly.

Zeus hummed in thought, looking to everyone before him, then the other gods before nodding.

"Anything else?" Zeus wondered, staring down at me once more. I stared stunned and speechless that they'd actually listened.

"Yes..." I started cautiously. "I want you all to swear on the Styx you will uphold this bargain." I looked around to them all, watching them all nod and swear on the Styx, some rather begrudgingly, although he got the sense they all knew I was right. "And go easy on him." I finished nodding to my right towards my brother who stood stoic, unmoving.

"That, we cannot promise." Zeus sighed defeatedly. "Dismissed."

Arc swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he looked down to the floor, away from the gods, awaiting his punishment for escaping Death itself. He watched as everyone exited the room, making their way below whilst skirting around cracks in the floor and missing parts looking straight down on the top of the moving City below.

"You are not needed for this Thalia, you may go," Zeus ordered, staring pointedly at his daughter, who stood motionless by the Demigods side.

"But-" She started. Zeus cut her short with a pointed glare. She slunk back, something he was shocked to see as she nodded, glancing to him once more before leaving. He gave a reassuring smile as she left, swallowing thickly once more, ready to receive his punishment.

He looked up to the gods surprised to see reassuring expressions plastered on their faces. Zeus cleared his throat as he looked down at the boy. He looked up to his father, seeing Poseidon smiling down at him, the widest he'd seen.

"It's good to see you're alive, Arcmelos. Despite how you came back. Start from the beginning then." Zeus ordered, looking pointedly at him.

"Where from, when I died or the very beginning?" He wondered, looking around to the gods. Mr D rolled his eyes playing with the rim on his goblet.

"Your death," Poseidon said in an understanding yet plain tone, leaning forward on his Throne.

"We want every single detail, no matter how small or insignificant. All of it." Zeus put in. He looked up to them all, his eyes settling on Hades before his father.

"Two things." He stated, watching Zeus nod once for him to continue. "Can I sit down because I don't think I can stand for that length of time." Zeus sighed and nodded once more, watching as the Demigod smiled and sat on the floor. "Thank you."

"And the other?" Athena wondered, looking down at him critically judging his every move.

"That you do not harm the one that helped me in any way shape or form, be it physically or mentally, advertently or inadvertently." He stated, looking pointedly to them all.

Some rolled their eyes in impatience, nodding all the same, following Zeus' actions. "Swear it on the Styx." He stated, looking up at them all his face serious as he felt the rising Darkness from within as it bubbled away. He sighed down the Darkness as he heard their words, before looking to them all, wondering where and when to begin. The gods eyed him in surprise seeing the Darkness rolling off of him occasionally before he continued.

"Sorry." He began, shaking his head. "I don't mean to stall but, just out of curiousity what's the date? How long has it been?" He wondered, staring up to them.

"August. The day of your Birth. The battle of Manhatten raged on for two months." Poseidon stated. He gaped up at him, Nico's call was all wrong. He was gone for more than two days, it was a whole two months.

"I guess I'll start from where I died then I suppose." He sighed, running his hands on his trousers. "Not sure if any of you know how it happened, but when I found out, it was rather embarrassing to me." He started looking to the gods in front of him. All but two shook their heads in answer, the two gods that were nodding were Hades and Poseidon.

"In part anyway. Percy told me you fell." Poseidon answered, looking to his firstborn son. Hades let an amused breath escape his nose as he looked to the boy.

"He did more than fall," Hades commented, Arc nodding in agreement.

"I died falling to my death from the height of about three-quarters of the Empire State Building so around three hundred meters, crashing through Central Station after helping to kill a giant flying pig." He sighed, shaking his head.

The room grew silent as they stared down at the boy, waiting for him to laugh and tell them the real death, but it never came.

_His eyes slowly opened as he stared up at a black ceiling, stalactites hanging from the 'sky' above._

_"You're awake, at last." Came a gruff voice in an English accent. He looked around him seeing people stood around him, looking just as lost as he._

_"Where am I?" He wondered, his voice scratchy from lack of use. He looked up to the robed figure ahead of him as the realisation set in. He shot up leaning over the boat looking around his surroundings._

_The Underworld._

_"You're dead, I'm afraid. Fell a long way to the ground and was killed on impact with the debris." The Ferryman sighed. If he had a properly working one, his heart would have stopped. "Hope you had a good enough life." Charon finished, rowing the final length to the shore._

_"Follow the dead to the line, you have a choice. Straight to the Fields of Asphodel where you will roam forevermore, or chance judgement." He pointed to the two lines, one shorter and moving quicker than the other._

_He stepped out of the boat against his will, his legs moving on their own as he watched Charon row back over to the other side of the river, back to DOA Recording Studios. Arc swallowed thickly, the usual scent of sulphur in the air no longer present. He walked to the longest line, to face judgement, waiting for what felt an eternity._

_"Next." Grumbled the ghost of Minos, looking him up and down. He heard Cerberus in the distance as his attention was drawn back to the Ghost. "You? Didn't expect to see you here for a while." The ghost smirked. Arc's original stoic nature returned, his emotions gone once he stepped foot onto the ground._

_"Well, someone has been a good little hero, Elysium." He breathed. Arc sighed with relief as the Ghost nodded him through. His legs moved on their own accord once more as he walked to Cerberus, walking straight passed him and underneath him. He heard the dog whimper and looked up at him. A minuscule hint of a smile appeared on his face as the hound could sense the residual scent of Annabeth and Percy on him still, two friends of his._

_He reached up to pet the hound, his hand going straight through before sighing and continuing onward to the gates. The gates opened for him on command, stepping into the honoured area of the Underworld. He scanned the streets for familiar faces, seeing Beckendorf close by, leaning against the fountain in the centre. His emotions returned to him once he'd stepped through the gate, heading into his direction._

_"Arc?" He breathed in shock, coming over to greet him. He nodded, a glum expression on his face, releasing a sigh._

_"Yeah, you alright Beck?" Arc wondered, stood beside the bulky son of Hephaestus._

_"How did this happen?" He wondered, looking over the son of Poseidon._

_"Its hell up there, I got killed doing something stupid. Fought a giant pig, fell to my death when it was killed." He explained, sitting on the edge of the fountain._

_"Damn, I'm sorry to hear that. I bet everyone's crushed." Beck sighed, sitting beside him._

_He shook his head, looking over the gleaming little village that seemed in another realm to the Underworld._

_"Probably not as much as the camp were when you fell, there's been so much death up there recently that no one has the time to properly grieve, it'll hit them when it's all over." Arc sighed, placing his head in his hands._

_"how's Silena been?" Beck wondered._

_"I'm not too sure, Percy said she was shut off for days and crushed over your death. But from when I last saw her, she was leading her Cabin to battle day after day. I'm sorry about what happened with you, it shouldn't have ended that way." He sighed, shaking his head._

_"No it's fine, it was my fault it didn't detonate properly anyway." Beck sighed, looking to him. "If you were there instead of me, the same outcome would have happened."_

_"We all miss you up there." He muttered, looking to the burly son of Hephaestus. "Well I say we, I mean them. It's a strange thing to get my head around that I'm dead." He sighed. He __watched as other campers that had died before him came over, sitting beside him as he discussed his death with them. _

_You're here too?" Jake Mason muttered, looking stunned. He sighed as he nodded in answer, looking to all the others around him._

_"Yeah, fell to my death after an Automaton killed a giant flying pig. Such a stupid way to go out." He laughed bitterly, looking at them all. He saw something that lightened his spirits more, excusing himself as he saw Terry and Rachael. They were taking a leisurely stroll away from him, towards what looked like a small market, laughing as they went._

_He ran up behind them, startling them both as he nearly bowled them over. He wrapped his arms around them, feeling tears flow down his face as he looked up to them, feeling like a kid again. He watched as both of their eyes widened in surprise. Rachael cried as she wrapped her arms around him, feeling Terry ruffling his hair._

_"You're here far too early." She cried, wiping the tears falling down her face. He nodded, looking solemn about the whole ordeal, what he'd left behind._

_"I know." He sighed, walking along in between them. "It's hell up there on the surface, I died doing something stupid. Killed a giant pig flying through the air, well I didn't kill. I helped kill it, but fell to my death, landing in Central Station I think it was." He sighed shaking his head._

_"How've you two been this past couple of years, I've missed you both." He smiled a watery smile, a tear rolling down his face._

_"We've been enjoying the afterlife, been contemplating rebirth to get the Blessed Isles." Terry smiled as the three walked, looking around the market._

_"Well, good luck to you then, in that case, I hope it goes well for you if you do go for it." He smiled. "Mind showing me around? I'm going to be here a while." He smiled sheepsihly. They wandered around the little village of Happiness, waving and talking to past campers from London, as they made their way around Elysium for what seemed like hours. They eventually came to a stop at their house they lived in, designed and made to their specific needs, what they wanted. He looked around, a small smile on his face, as he looked at the pictures framed around the room. They were all carbon copies of the ones he now has from the Camp Directors cabin in London, all of them containing him._

_"I can't believe all of this." He looked around in awe. _

_"There's a spare room for you here, we were waiting for you to join us one day a long way into the future. We thought we'd all get rebirth at the same time and aim for Blessed Isles." Rachael sighed looking towards him. _

_"It's really good to see you both again." He smiled, his expression turning sad. "I'm just dissapointed that it ended this way. None of us desserve to be here this early." He stood in the doorway to his room, looking around with a small smile on his face. "I'm going to go and have a look around, get settled in. I'll see you again soon." He smiled, feeling the happiness wash over him. He watched them nod, leaving the house as all thoughts of what was happening above flooded back to him, who he'd left behind. His gaze hardened._

_"Goodbye." He whispered to them, watching him leave. He watched a smile form on their faces as they realised he was up to something._

_"See you soon, mate." Terry grinned. _

_"Do what you have to do." Rachael smiled. "We'll see you again one day." _

_He turned looking towards the main gates, his sights trained on the tall railings around the perimeter. He walked around the entirety of Elysium, the fence extending high above allowing no one to escape, if they dared to try. __He leaned his head on the railings in the front corner, behind someone's house as he looked out over the fields in front of him. He narrowed his eyes as he saw someone walking around in the Fields, someone familiar._

_"Nico." He said in his head, hoping that the words got to him. He watched him spin on the spot, confusion on his face as he looked around him._

_"Arc?" He heard him call, looking around him still. Arc facepalmed, it had been a long time ago since he'd told Nico of his abilities. He hated the fact the Mist worked differently in The Underworld. He somehow drew his power from the Mist around him on the surface, there wasn't much he could do down here in terms of escaping via Mist Travel._

_"Over here, to your right." He spoke. He watched him turn, his eyes lighting up in shock as she walked over._

_"Arc? What are you doing here?" He wondered, bending the shadows around him to walk through the gates. Nico shook his hand, the touch ice cold surprising the Son of Hades, his eyes widening in shock. "You're dead?" He gasped. Arc hummed in answer, looking rather irritated with himself._

_"Unfortunately. Please tell me you can do something, I really need to get out of here." Arc pleaded. Nico sighed looking over him, nodding his head slowly._

_"There is a way to bring you back, but it's a long journey. Once you're back on the surface you will be fine. You'll still feel cold for a time, but we need to go through Tartarus. You need to get through the Doors of Death which isn't going to be easy." He sighed. Arc looked down to his hands, his weapons missing. There was no fighting his way through everything, he had to sneak._

_Nico pushed Arc through the fence, an alarm sounding as he fazed through with the help of Nico's shadow powers, running to the edge of the pit._

_"We need to hurry, they don't take kindly to people leaving Elysium other than through rebirth." Nico panted, sprinting beside Arc towards the pit. They heard the screeching of the Kindly Ones behind them in the distance, feeling a burn in his chest as he breathed in hot sulphuric air he couldn't taste. His instincts told him not to jump but he had no choice landing safely into the River Cocytus that runs all through Tartarus. They both surfaced, the help of the Son of Poseidons powers helping cushion their fall, breathing in deeply before sputtering at the hot ashy air._

_They swam briefly to shore, the heat of Tartarus nearly drying their clothes in an instant. They began blundering towards the doors, a long treck for the two half-mortals, struggling for breath and blisters slowly appearing on their skins._

_"We need to get to the River Phlegethon not too far from here, we won't survive otherwise. It can heal mortals." Nico struggled to breathe, clambering to the area where it flowed down from Hades domain. They were walking for what felt like forever, Nico collapsing beside him. Arcmelos grumbled as he hefted him up onto his shoulders, Nico looked rather__ worse for wear, struggling to walk the extra distance with heavier weight, straining and breathing in more hot air hard._

_He collapsed under the weight of Nico beside the River of Fire, dipping his hand into the molten lava expecting pain. A warm feeling washed over him as if he'd bathed in the sea, feeling all of his energy return to him. He dipped Nico's hand into the Fire, watching him wake. The blisters on their skin slowly disappeared, the air more bearable to breathe._

_"Which way to the Doors?" Arc wondered, starting to feel the hunger after leaving Elysium, his mortality starting to slowly return as they got ever closer to the doors._

_"A day's journey through this hellish landscape Maybe more, being the son of Hades I can feel a slight pull from the Doors. We'll have to move carefully or we'll attract every monster that's killed and ends up here. There are no killing things here that are already dead and reformed, we'll have to sneak by. And unfortunately, make our way past Nyx goddess of Darkness or night, whatever." He finished, grumbling to himself._

_They began their long journey through Tartarus, past reforming monsters in spawning pits and some that they had to hide from behind rubble for fear of being caught. His heart was pounding, he didn't want to be here. All he wanted was to be up there, be with Thalia. That brought his mind back from the dark, Thalia._

_He focused on the way she looked, her face, her hair, the necklace he'd bought her. Her eyes. Those electric blue eyes, staring critically into his very soul, studying his every move. That's what he looked forward to most. That's what got him through Tartarus, Nico's presence and Thalia. He couldn't have done this trip alone._

_They came across Nyx's Mansion of Night, having to stumble through carefully, hidden in the Shadows and some help from the Mist from the mansion. He was surprised he missed the presence of the Mist so much. It had been a part of his life for so long now, he never wanted it to go._

_"Ah, my Champion has come." They both stopped in their tracks, looking to each other in shock, walking past a Throne Room of sorts. "Yes, you. Arcmelos. You're somewhat my Child too even though you came from _Poseidon_." A voice spat the gods name venomously. He looked around the Throne Room, spotting a woman sitting proudly on her Throne, watching over him, critically examining his every move, hidden in the Darkness and Mist. She either couldn't see Nico or just chose to ignore him, something he was thankful for._

_"You." He muttered, the voice familiar of the one from his dream last summer during the Labyrinth fiasco. "You're the one from my dream." He breathed, his voice quieter than he'd ever spoken before. She smiled down at him, her white eyes swirling with an inky blackness._

_"Yes. It took me a while to find you, Hecate taught you better than I thought she would. It took you a while to get to me too, child, especially all what I did. I was the one making all of those near death encounters occur, but they _were _meant to kill you. But in the end, it all came together perfectly, tricking you to follow__ a certain 'Pull to the Doors'." She smiled eerily._

_A cold feeling washed over him, sending a shiver up his spine. "I know you are aware of who I am. Nyx, your... Mother of sorts. Who do you think gave you this power over the Mist. It was I that whispered in Hecates ear, made it seem like it was her decision to train you, not your false sob story." She smiled. He stood still and quiet before her, confused about what was happening._

_"Why though?" Was all he could manage, his voice timid. He watched as she stood, slowly stalking towards him. Nico was forgotten from his mind as she drew closer, her voice sinister._

_"Because you were supposed to die. I was going to make you my champion, make you a god. Poseidon was never meant to interfere with you in life, was meant to be unaware about your existence. But I must not have put enough power into you, to cover you from his sight. Instead, it was he that raised you as a weapon for the gods, not I." She sneered, circling around him._

_"You were going to be the downfall of the gods, to kill them once and for all. Dethrone them." He looked confused up at her, shying away from her hand as it went to stroke his face in an almost loving manner._

_"But why? Kronos is doing that this very second, why not just join him?" He wondered. She scoffed at the mention of Kronos._

_"Kronos is a fool. He believes he is all-powerful and deserves the throne once more. He couldn't be more wrong. If I had you here with me from the start, like I wanted you to be, you could have taken Olympus single-handedly. Whereas Kronos needs an army of monsters at his disposal to do so." She finished tiredly. She sighed as she looked him over. He began pleading to Nico to run and carry on for the doors without him. He sensed him run, albeit indecisively, leaving him with the goddess of Darkness._

_"What are you going to do with me then?" He wondered, fear finding its way into his voice. A smile slithered onto her lips, as she looked over him, her face turning evil._

_"Finish what was started all those years ago, train you to dethrone whoever sits atop it. You want to return to the land of the Living do you not?" She finished. Before he could react, her hands were latched around his head, feeling the darkness seeping through and how good it felt. He was succumbing to her powers, listening to her coo to him, feeling the power he'd never felt before surge through him, ten times the amount of the Gift of Poseidon gave him when it glowed red._

_He could feel the power coursing through him, seeping into every crevice that held a semblance of light. He could feel the power he held over the Mist grow stronger, half of the Mist turning to Darkness, the hidden powers he was unaware he possessed coming to light, tainting him black. __The Darkness swirled around his eyes, turning the once sea green to black, swirling with white and red flecks of Rage. The Gift of Poseidon part of him was trying to fight back, wanting him to see the light once more. The Darkness swallowed the Rage, feeding off of it, growing stronger._

_He looked around the room, his eyes adjusting to the Darkness, seeing the creatures lurking in them. He wasn't scared anymore, quite the opposite. He felt powerful like he could topple a mountain._

_Dethrone the gods._

_"Yes. Keep that in your head." She laughed evilly, watching as the last bits of light trickled from him._

_"Remember!" He heard through the muddled darkness in his mind. Nico._

_"Remember everyone! Your mother, Poseidon, Percy. Annabeth, Grover. All of your friends! Camp. Terry! Rachel, Thalia! They wouldn't want this, would they? Don't give in! Remember!" He yelled in his mind._

_Thalia._

_That brought light back through the darkness, everything about her shining through._

_His saving Grace._

_Her dark electric blue eyes pierced through the dark. His eyes opened, the swirling inky black that took hold over his once green eyes faded away._

_"NO!" Nyx screamed. He pushed her away, summoning his Weapons from the Darkness he now possessed, ready for a fight. His rings swirled violently onto his fingers, shimmering to Terry's Spear, the bladed Shield on his right. "How did you break free from that hold, no one can resist my Darkness, everyone fears the Dark."_

_A cold smile washed over his face, the expression surprising Nyx herself._

_"Well, you're right in that sense, but I have nothing to fear now." He smirked, vanishing in the Darkness. He heard a scream of pure rage, the sound of Nyx commanding her minions to find him, hidden with a blend of Darkness and Mist combined. He travelled to Nico's location, power still humming through him as he was within the vicinity of the Mansion. He startled Nico when he touched his shoulder, travelling once again, nearer to the actual location of the Doors of Death much further into Tartarus than he expected, feeling the pull of Darkness around it._

_"How... How did you do that? I couldn't even sense you." Nico said in amazement. Arc surprised him further by bringing him into a hug, squeezing him in gratefulness._

_"Well, she's decided to give me some more powers, a bit of a mistake on her part. I can now use the Darkness within and around the Mist along with it. She's opened my eyes to a lot of new powers I was unaware of." Arc smirked. "Thank you, Nico. You genuinely don't know how close I was to turning just then." Nico nodded, a light dusting of red on his cheeks as Arc pulled away, eying the doors in the distance._

_"I know, I could sense it." He sighed, eying him from the corner of his eye._

_They crept closer, hidden in the Darkness away from Thanatos' gaze. They examined the magic elevator, that controlled the ins and outs of Tartarus, much like Olympus' Elevator. However, unlike the elevator to Olympus, the Doors of Death were framed with Stygian Iron, black and silver doors etched with art deco designs, a complete opposite to Olympus._

_They eyed Thanatos, deciding how they were going to escape through, unaware of something ancient watching them. Arc picked up a rock, shrouding it in the Dark Mist, flicking it towards the elevator button. Thanatos looked up, hearing the elevator ding, eying the machine with scrutiny, trying to sense anything inside. The elevator doors opened, and they watched as Thanatos peered inside and around looking for something that wasn't there._

_He grunted to himself, looking all around before turning and standing back beside his post. Arc summoned a monster through the little power he had left from The Mansion, sending it to Thanatos, following behind, Nico in tow. He struck the monster, killing it instantly while the two Demigod's snuck in, pressing the button. Just as the doors closed, Thanatos sensed something enter the cabin too late, a below of Rage was heard as they ascended._

_They both sighed as they looked to each other, smiling at their situation they'd avoided, making their way to the surface at long last._

_He could feel his strength and power returning, drawing the energy from the Darkness and Mist above as they drew ever closer to the surface, the feeling like a comforting hand on his back. The hot sun beamed down on the two as they stepped out of the doors in Greece, this heat much more bearable and welcoming in comparison to Tartarus. Arc breathed deeply the musty air inside, not even caring the slightest. He was just happy to smell something other than intense sulphur. They Mist Travelled to his home in New York where the battle still raged on, appearing on the doorstep of his little home._

_"How many days do you reckon its been?" Arc wondered, looking around at the familiar skyline, ignoring the smoke rising from nearly everywhere._

_He looked to Nico as he entered his house seeing his necklace on the sofa beside his P90. He ran his hand over the gun, watching as ink-black tendrils wrapped around the gun from his ring, watching it vanish and swirl violently in his ring along with his other weapons. He picked up the necklace from beside it, examining it as he thumbed the beads and wedding bands before placing it around his neck, looking outside the back window, seeing ash of a burnt pyre._

_"Couple days maybe, time works differently in Tartarus, it felt like we were down there for what, a few hours?" Nico guessed, his back to him as he studied the house. He sighed as he turned, looking up to Arc. "I'm going to go back to the Underworld, see if I can get my Father to help out up here, I have to keep trying. The reason why you saw me in those fields was, I was sent away by him for bugging him about it so much." He sighed._

_"That's okay. And Nico, thank you again, you really don't understand how much this meant to me. If you come across Terry and Rachel down there if you're passing by Elysium, tell them I said sorry for leaving them again." He finished._

_Nico smiled and nodded before blending with the shadows and vanishing. His stomach growled in protest from lack of food, stuffing his mouth with a packet of crisps, washing it down with water. He quickly changed from his dirty scorched clothes, putting on fresh clothes after a quick shower, a black hoodie under his leather jacket._

_He was surprised that he didn't feel the trauma and fear that would probably accompany being in Tartarus for so long, but he could feel the Darkness eating the fear, feeding off of it and fueling him with energy and power._

_He appeared at the top of Olympus, watching his friends across the broken bridge running towards the Throne Room steps. He stepped over the large gap, the Dark Mist bending around him as he walked. From the bottom of the steps he witnessed his brother and Annabeth get shoved from the rear, the archway above crumbling as a statue landed heavily on Thalia's leg, hearing the pained yell from down where he stood._

_He continued running up the steps, fearing the worst as he reached Thalia, catching the tail end of her words to Percy, hidden from sight._

_He watched his brother, Grover and Annabeth rush into the Throne Room to confront Kronos, Thalia's head leaned on the marble floor under her._

_He heard a sob of pain from Thalia, his attention focusing once more onto her. He made himself visible and stood behind her by the base of the broken statue, lifting the heavy base with the help of the Gift of Poseidon, the Dark Mist feeding off of the Rage emanating from him, yelling as he strained to lift the statue. He dropped it to his side, watching it roll partway down the steps before it bounced, shattering into thousands of marble pieces at the bottom._

_He turned to her, Rage humming around him as he looked into her dark electric blue eyes, a mixture between her mothers and fathers, for the first time in what felt like forever._

_"Arc?" She whispered timidly, afraid to talk any louder for fear he vanished. He summoned some Nectar through his improved summoning powers, the drink appearing in his hand at will with no strain. He felt the Rage dissipate slowly, a smile coming across his face as he nodded handing her the drink, feeling the Darkness rolling off of him._

_"Sorry I frightened you, Thals. It's a very long story I will gladly tell you when we get back to Camp." He finished, kneeling beside her as he tipped the drink to her lips. He glanced to the Throne Room, hearing the commotion from inside as he looked back at Thalia. She surprised him when she kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck and deepening the kiss._

_"Don't leave me, ever again." She breathed, leaning her forehead on his, no longer caring if the Hunters were to walk up the steps behind them. He pecked her lips once more before cautiously lifting her and carefully placing her on the base of a pillar._

_"I promise, Thals. But right now I need to get in there and help out. I can feel the gods coming this way, now that Typhoon's been dealt with." He pecked her lips once more, as she wrapped her hands around his neck, deepening the kiss once more, playing with the hairs at his neck. She pulled back, a sheepish expression on her face as looked up to him, running her thumb in a comforting manner over his cheek._

_"Sorry. Be careful." She breathed. He nodded, a small smile on his lips as he pecked her forehead before rushing into the Throne Room. Bursting through the door in the midst of battle, he saw Annabeth and Grover slightly unconscious on the floor slightly off to the left of the room by the base of a pillar, watching as Luke knocked Percy to the floor, standing overtop of him._

_The Dark Mist swirled with the Red Aura, tainting it black as it surrounded him, rushing to his brother's aid. He rugby tackled Kronos as he was monologuing to Percy, destroying multiple pillars as he went. He sensed Percy lean up, confused on who or what attacked Kronos just in time, his head whipping to the door to see if the gods had arrived._

_"I didn't appreciate Death, Kronos. Nyx says hello." He growled as he gritted his teeth, watching a flash of fear come across Kronos face. His fist connected with Luke's face repeatedly, watching as Golden Ichor flowed from his nose, as he threw him to the other side of the room. He saw the change in his expression, Kronos dazed as Luke came through whilst he had the opportunity, calling out for Percy._

_"Percy please, this is getting out of hand now. He's going to kill me as soon as he's done with me, all of you. He won't keep his promise. Give me Annabeth's dagger, I'm the only one that knows where the spot is." He strained, fighting against Kronos._

_Percy looked around him from beside Annabeth watching as Grover raised himself shakily, confusion still on his face as he stepped over from beside them, dagger in hand. He stood over Luke, besides his brother, still hidden in the Dark Mist, unaware that he was as Arc focused on Luke, helping him hold Kronos back. He watched as Percy handed him the dagger, blood dripping from Arc's nose at the pressure that was building, fighting through the pain._

_They both watched as he slit the back of his inner thigh, howling in pain as if he'd just been stabbed brutally over and over. He watched as Annabeth stood shakily with the help of Grover, slowly making her way to be beside Percy, tears flowing as she cried over her old friend. The Dark Aura still swirled around like a raging storm, feeling the gods pressence as they entered the Throne Room, looking over the scene before them. The words that were spoken were drowned out as he stared up at the gods before him, feeling the Darkness trying to take hold of him._

_"Do it." He heard Nyx whisper in his ear, his eye twitching. His eyes snapped to Thalia as she entered the room, with the aid of crutches, the Dark thoughts waining.__ He hoped they were only temporary._

_"We're going to need a shroud of Hermes." He heard Percy say to the gods. Once he got closer and laid his eyes on her, he smiled down at her, nodding to the base of a pillar behind, helping her sit on the base to examine her leg._

_"You alright?" He wondered as he knelt before her moving her healing leg in different directions for any sign of pain. She smiled brightly down at him nodding her head as she sighed, glad everything was finally over. He helped Thalia to the centre, once Zeus called her over, after tending to her leg a little more, grinning up to him when they stood beside Percy._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 - Happiness

"You could have left the parts involving my daughter, out of it," Zeus grumbled, his expression holding slight embarrassment.

"And my Lieutenant, you tainted," Artemis growled, still feeling a small amount of hate towards the boy.

"Well, you did want every little detail." Arc reasoned his face burning. He looked up to the gods before him, trying desperately to ignore the Darkness tempting him, whispering in his ear over and over.

"Well, I think it's adorable." Aphrodite chimed, rubbing her eye of a stray tear. A small smile spread on his face as he sighed.

"And let's face it, if it wasn't for Thalia, this situation would be entirely different." He sighed, glancing around the room, his face burning hotter from the goddess of Loves words. "I imagine I don't need to finish the rest because you already know. But just in case, you praised everyone in the room, gave gifts to everyone and high praise. And Thalia yelled at me for not outing myself to everyone during the council, making it seem like she was talking to Percy. She was the only one who knew about me at the time." He cringed. "And obviously Nico." He finished looking to them all, shaking his head. He knew his time back in the world of the Living was coming to an end once more.

"What's my punishment then? I nearly became a weapon for Nyx, twice, I'm a son of Poseidon that shouldn't be alive in more ways than one, I escaped Death and wandered through Tartarus." He lamented, looking up to them all sitting stoically in front of him. "This is the part where I get struck down and put in the Fields of Punishment for eternity, right?" He sighed tiredly, pacing before them.

He looked around at them all, quietly judging the boy before them all, discussing his situation through a godly wave he couldn't hear.

"Do you love my Daughter?" Zeus sighed in defeat. Arc's face turned beet red, embarrassment washing over him as Aphrodite cooed once more.

"What." He began, his voice cracking in surprise. He cleared his throat before continuing quickly. "What's that got to do with anything?" He wondered, staring in shock at them all.

"Do you love my Daughter, yes or no?" Zeus muttered, his irritation flaring. Arc slowly nodded, once more expecting to be struck down where he stood.

"Yeah... Why?" He wondered, looking at him cautiously. "As I said, she's the reason how I got out of Tartarus somewhat sane and helped get me out of the clutches of Nyx." He explained, his eyes narrowing slightly. Zeus sighed as he leaned back in his seat, looking unimpressed on the matter of his declaration.

"Well in that case then, we don't offer you punishment as she would hate me for all eternity." He began, sighing as he looked tiredly down to him. "All the while you shouldn't be rewarded, being back in the land of the Living should be enough for you. However, your situation with Nyx causes us problems if she were to take hold. So in that case, we extend Percy's gift to you, to ease the mounting pressure slowly building within you." Zeus finished, looking down at him as he sensed the two warring sides within, the Darkness trying to fight the light.

"We will extend the gift to you and Thalia. If Thalia wishes to choose it, she will be granted the role of goddess of the Clouds and the Hunt if she so wishes to remain in the Hunters. She will continue being the Lieutenant, the Hunters will know of her new role in the world, but not with the matters with you. They would look at her differently if she was to no longer be a maiden." Zeus explained, Arcs face turning red once more, fidgetting on the spot.

"And as for you, you will become the General in our collective army, coming when called upon. You will work beside Ares and Athena, Athena for Battle strategy and Ares for weaponry. Regarding your new-found talents, it would be better and easier for you to ignore this 'Darkness' if we made you a Minor god yourself as Zeus mentioned earlier. You will become known as the Guardian of the Mist and Sea, taking the responsibility away from Hecate over the Mist and the Dark Mist, something she doesn't control. The Sea for obvious reasons, but only in a small quantity." Poseidon smiled down at his son, as he watched the pride shine in his father's eyes.

He shook his head confused on his new role if he was to choose it.  
"But you're the god of the Sea, it's under your dominion. How can I be the Guardian over it?" He wondered, staring up at his father.

"Well, you are my son, I have to put something related to me in your title, it wouldn't make much sense as Guardian of the Mist alone. But with the Sea part, you will be in charge of training troops for my Army of the Sea if it's needed, and getting them prepared for the collective army for Olympus when also needed. It just sounds more dramatic and godlike than just god of the Mist and Army Training, it doesn't have the same ring." Poseidon laughed lightly, understanding washing over Arc as he hummed, the ring of the former sounding a lot better to him.

The realisation struck him as he looked over to Aphrodite and Artemis, the puzzle pieces of the conversation with the Love goddess, finally falling into place.

"This is what you meant when you came to me?" He wondered, directing the question to the goddess of Love. Aphrodite smiled and nodded, looking down to him, Artemis rolling her eyes on the discussion of her Lieutenant.

"Yes, albeit a little earlier, I meant when she fell, as in battle, but I feel that could have had a double meaning, especially with Aphrodite." Artemis sighed, eying the goddess of Love. "That in regards to what happened very recently outside the Throne Room, for example." She stated, looking pointedly at his reddening face.

"I had no hand in this, just a bit of wordplay." She teased, looking over to the Maiden goddess, smiling innocently.

"Do you accept these terms, Arcmelos?" Zeus stated, his voice powerful, feeling his words reverberate through him.

"Can I recommend some things?" He wondered, quickly adding in the rest to Zeus' flaring irritation and twitching eye. "Nothing too drastically big. All want is to be able to interfere slightly with the lives of Demigods, not fully so I can be chosen to go on quests with them, but a more involved guiding hand, allowing the Fates to get involved when I'm getting too involved in a matter." He wondered, staring up to the gods before him.

"If the Fates allow it, yes. Anything else?" Zeus grumbled.

"Last one. Can I be the one that tells Thalia of her new role? That's it." He finished. He felt more power surge through him, similar to what he felt with Nyx except for this time it was Light he could feel, not Darkness.

The Darkness in him remained, he could feel it warring with the Light, before swirling together, the thoughts of killing gods disappearing from his mind, the control over Darkness remaining.

He sighed at the release of pressure he didn't realise was there, smiling and bowing to the gods. Zeus dismissed him, a spring in his step as he nearly sprinted down the steps of the Throne Room, floating over holes as he made it to the Elevator. He summoned the keyring from wherever it was, the car morphing below to be his rallycross car like always, its default setting.

He sprinted through the entrance of the Empire State Building, seeing Percy explaining everything properly to Paul, his eyes wide in wonder like a child in a sweet shop.

"Arc! Oh my boy, don't you ever scare me like that again!" His mum yelled at him, bringing him into a hug before kissing his cheek repeatedly, slapping his arm a few times.

"Ow, Ow. Alright, I get it, sorry." He laughed, pecking his mum's cheek. "What's it like to know the truth around you?" He smiled at Paul. He nodded, looking at the world around him, a new perspective on the world.

"Interesting, glad you're back with us." Paul grinned, bringing him into a man hug and patting his back.

"Arcmelos if you do something like that again, I swear-" Annabeth began, looking ready to punch him. He laughed lightly as he brought her into a hug, followed by Grover.

"I agree with Annabeth, what happened? How are you... Back!?" Grover wondered, his eyes amazed.

"Well, it's a long story I'll have to tell at Camp, but put it this way. It was a living nightmare." He sighed, looking between them all.

His eyes caught Thalia's over Grover's shoulder who stood leaning against the wall outside the Empire State Building, waiting patiently to finally greet him properly.

He surprised her and everyone around him when he brought her into a kiss, arms wrapping around her waist as she squeaked in surprise before melting into the kiss.

Annabeth, Percy, his mum and Paul stood, mouths agape at what they were witnessing, Grover grinning wide as he cheered.

"It's about time!" He laughed, sensing the raging war inside the two for a long time. Arc laughed as he pulled back, leaning his head on Thalia's forehead, both of them grinning.

"What? When did this happen?" Percy wondered, his arms flailing in the air.

"Yeah!" Annabeth chimed in, only knowing part of it. He laughed as he turned to the two, the news of becoming a god lost in his mind, his happiness, at last, overtaking the big news with this development being bigger.

"I'm still a Hunter, right? I'm not going to suddenly have that stripped from me." She whispered to him, looking up to him. He smiled and shook his head, reassuring her of the situation as he pecked her forehead before answering Percy.

"This has been going on in secret for quite some time, partway since the Labyrinth, but more so over Christmas." He finished, looking to everyone. "I have some other news to share too-" He was cut short as he saw Blackjack fly up into the sky, Nico appearing from around the corner, where he was standing with Blackjack, looking after him.

"Perce, Rachel's just stole Blackjack and said she's heading for Camp," Nico explained, pointing into the direction she'd flown. Arcs news would have to wait as they rushed to his car, Paul and his mum standing beside the entrance to Olympus.

"Sorry, I'll have to tell you later. I'll come around and meet you at your place once I've settled back into... Everything." He explained, looking guilty to his mother who nodded in understand, tears shimmering in her eyes. He stepped into the car, Thalia beside him realising their predicament.

He noticed the cars lack of seats in the back, with Annabeth, stood outside still, before remembering he was now a Minor god. The rules of the Mist, now the Dark Mist, no longer applied to him. They all appeared at the base of Thalia's tree, Sally and Paul left behind to drive back home as he watched them rush off over to where Blackjack had landed.  
He caught Thalia's arm before she followed them, a questioning stare being sent his way.

"We need to have a chat about all of this." He sighed nervously, looking into her dark electric blue eyes. She looked worried for a time, though it was gone in an instant when he pecked her lips reassuringly. They Travelled through the Dark Mist, a trivial thing for him now, to the beachfront as they looked out over the rolling waves, washing over the sand calmly before them.

"What's happened? Don't tell me you're leaving again or something, the gods threatened you." She started, her breath picking up in pace as she began to panic.

"Hey hey hey. Calm down. It's nothing like that. All they wanted was to hear the story in its entirety is all. What I brought you here to say was." He began, sitting on the sand and watched the rolling waves, his new domain that was under his watchful eye, under his father's supervision.  
"That I accepted Percy's gift he refused." He finished looking to her frowning face.

"But that would make you-" She paused, shaking her head in confusion, sorrow creeping into her expression as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"That I'm now immortal. Yes. I'm The Guardian of The Mist and Sea. Poseidon, well everyone has made me a trainer for their Armies in case of another war, as well as the General of the main Army on Olympus that will be formed, using units from a lot of the god's projects. The Hunters, Automatons, Undead, Cyclops et cetera." He finished, looking at the tears rolling down her face.

"That means we won't see each other anymore then, only when we're called upon for War." She cried. His heart broke at the sight as he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her into him.

"No, it doesn't." He sighed, picking up her hand and leaving a comforting kiss on it. "You were apart of this as well you know. Do you remember when I came to you on Olympus last Summer and I told you about Aphrodite and Artemis?" He wondered. She sniffed in response, as he wiped her cheeks, wiping away the falling droplets as he looked down at her, humming for him to continue.

"Well, as it turns out when Aphrodite explained that if you were to fall on the battlefield you would be made immortal and put on Olympus. It turns out that, that had a double meaning. It didn't mean fall as in the brink of death, it meant... You know." He began, skirting around the word. His face was starting to burn up as the realisation set in for her, a teasing smile setting in on her face.

"No I don't know, what does the double meaning mean?" She smiled innocently, a watery smile and tears forming for a different reason.

"Fall, as in love." He muttered. She hummed, getting closer to him; the teasing smile still present.

"Hmm? I couldn't hear you." She smirked, leaning in.

"Fall as in love." He said louder, his face turning beet red. She leaned in, kissing him as her hands found his shoulders, pushing him to the sand as she laid beside him, a smile on her lips.

"Yes, I did. I love you Arc." She mumbled against his lips, her face heating equally to the same colour as his.

"Love you too." He smiled, kissing her back, running his hand over her cheek. "There is one more thing." He muttered as he looked up at her, lips inches away still. He sat up, bringing her with him as she looked up at him from her perch by his side.

"Yeah?" She wondered, playing with the Camp chord around his neck, holding the Camp Beads and his parental figures wedding bands.

"Well, this is somewhat regarding the Hunters. If you choose to take this gift you will remain with the Hunters regardless, if you want to that is. If not you're welcome to leave with no hard feelings, except I'd have to wipe their minds of you being a part of them." He started, her eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"Basically, they offered the gift to you too, to be a goddess beside me. Zeus wants you to be the goddess of Clouds, in control of the weather from what I gather." He stated, watching her eyes light up in surprise. He pecked her lips, the pair grinning at the action as he pulled back, interrupting her thought.

"As with the Hunters, if you choose to stay and become the goddess of Clouds, you will remain as the Lieutenant with the Hunters, them knowing of your new role, minus your involvement with me, taking over the mantle slightly of Artemis over the Hunters at the same time, leading your current group whilst she recruits and starts another in preparation for the collective army. Thus becoming the goddess of the Clouds and Hunt.

"Or just clouds and you can leave the Hunters or you can refuse altogether, staying with the Hunters and me, but still keeping me hushed." He finished looking into her eyes, getting lost in them. He watched her carefully, running his hand through her hair feeling the strands lengthen to the extent of being shoulder length, watching as it fell over her eyes, an amused expression on her face.

"Oh." He breathed in shock, looking at his hands. "Sorry. I'm still getting used to these Dark Mist Powers." He explained grinning sheepishly. He tilted his head to the side, looking at her new hairstyle he unintentionally caused. "Although, this hairstyle does suit you." He smiled, innocently, twirling a few locks of hair in between his fingers, watching as they formed a small braid with a hair tie at the base.

She smiled as she rolled her eyes, leaning her head on his shoulder, as he sensed Percy and Annabeth being carried towards the Lake near his old Cabin, realisation setting in that those two were finally together.

"I will gladly take the first option." She grinned, looking up to him after a long stretch of silence, as she thought it all over. "Goddess of the Clouds and my own Hunting group." She smiled sweetly. He pecked the top of her head, as he held her to him, enjoying each others closeness.

"If you want this done anytime soon," Zeus muttered, rolling his eyes at the two. He smiled down at his daughter as they both stood, pecking the top of her head, surprising the two before him. "I'm proud of you Thalia, never forget that." Zeus smiled. They both watched her glow, something he didn't realise must've happened to him on Olympus, before Zeus was gone, leaving the two behind.

"Happy Birthday, by the way." She smiled sweetly. She leaned up onto her tiptoes to kiss him, the couple of heads taller than her coming into effect.

"Thank you." He smiled, "This has certainly been the most interesting Birthday I've ever had, but definitely the best." He grinned. She laughed lightly at him as she wrapped her arms around him once more, pecking his lips, the two unable to get enough of each other.

"Come on, let's go. I think Percy has spent enough time in the bottom of that lake by now, it's nearly time for the Campfire." He smiled sadly, knowing what that would entail. She returned the sad smile, nodding before she pecked his lips before she sighed a nervous breath at the announcement they were both about to make, more than one.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 - Ghost

The two wandered back to the Arena feeling like everything was right in the world at last. He could sense his brother being hauled from the water as the camp, what little remained of them, made their way to the Arena, the relief in the air that Percy and Annabeth were finally a couple, the end of awkward flirting from the two. Arcmelos and Thalia two new Minor gods of Olympus stood in the shadows of the pillars around the Arena watching as Chiron stomped his hoof on the stone floor, gaining the attention of all, looking a little beat up himself.

Arc wrapped his arm around Thalia's waist, pecking the top of her head as they watched his brother smiling brightly beside Annabeth, the two beaming as Chiron's voice echoed off the arches surrounding the Arena.

"Campers. We are here this evening, to remember those that fell in battle. We lost many great Heroes, my brethren, nature spirits and Hunters these two months, some that were unfortunate to never know their true godly Parent." Chiron began sadly, his face cast downward to the cobbled stone for a moment.

"But thanks to Perseus Jackson, Hero of Olympus, those that were unclaimed will be revealed over time, meaning this Camp will flourish the way it was intended when it was first formed," Chiron announced looking to them all, the Camp clapping briefly as Chiron waited for them to quiet.

"The Camp will undergo drastic changes these next few weeks, potentially extending over to next summer, as we make way for new Cabins, and greet those that will occupy them." He smiled, watching over them all, the firelight before him reflecting off his eyes. The flames died down slightly as the mood grew sombre, watching as Chiron bowed his head.

"But as I said at the beginning, this Campfire is to commemorate all those that died in the Battle." Arcmelos unwrapped his arm from around Thalia, nodding to the firepit in front of Chiron. He watched as the camp and Chiron sat in silence, in complete awe as the Dark Mist swirled through the magic fire.

The fire shimmered as it displayed all those that were lost in the battle, some he never knew or had the chance to meet and others that made his heartache, being good friends of his. Thalia leaned her head on his shoulder, teardrops running down her face as they stood, still in the shadows as the Camp looked on in awe, amazed at the scenes they were witnessing.

Chiron looked on in shock, unaware of the two gods presence around the Arena as the fire flickered from the beginning, starting with Beckendorf, ending with Selina and the good side of Luke from before he turned, saying the names of each as he went.

"And least of all, we forget Arcmelos. The son of Poseidon that fell tragically amid the Battle, a shock to us all." Chiron finished after a while, the list unfortunately large, as he bowed down his head once more, the Camp followed suit as they took a moment of silence.

"Uh-oh." He cringed once more, just like on Olympus. He could feel the ever-growing rage rolling off of Thalia beside him, suppressing the Darkness from feasting on her rage as she stared up at him, smacking the back of his head.

"For goodness sake Arc!" She whispered in an angry tone, frightened to ruin the moment. He glanced to Percy, Annabeth, Grover and Clarisse who were all present at his reappearance. The four looking around in confusion for him, watching as Percy stood.

"What? It's not my fault, is it? I **was **supposed to be dead. I can't help if the Camp doesn't know I'm back." He defended, stepping out from the shadows to be beside Chiron.

"Uhh, actually-" Percy began. Arc stood beside Chiron, watching as the Centaur backed up, a gasp escaping him and the camp as he heard his tail swish nervously. The campers that weren't aware of his return, sat in awe, their faces pale at seeing a Ghost, the firepit in front of him turning black as the campers around sat in fear.

"Uhh, hi? Sorry, I should probably explain everything that happened to me, preferably from the beginning. There's no need to be afraid, for one my newfound abilities are currently going mental with the amount of fear around right now." He began, looking to them all as some looked ready to faint.

"Thals, you might want to come in here too and sit with everyone. I'm yet to tell you this story too." He sighed, the Dark Mist swirling around him as the fire started turning back to yellow, very slowly. He sat on the rock in the centre by the fire, usually where someone from Apollo cabin would sit during the sing-along part of the Campfire, watching as Thalia sat beside Annabeth the Camps eyes lighting up at her arrival.

"I love your hair, what happened?" He heard Annabeth whisper, looking over Thalia's new style. She shook her head, a small smile on her face as she nodded to Arc, watching as he grinned sheepishly in response before he cleared his throat and continued.

"So as you can see, I'm not dead." He began, looking to everyone. "I was dead, yes. Died in a very embarrassing way, if none of you knew how it happened. I fell to my death after an Automaton killed that Giant flying pig, fell right through a roof after the Automaton and died on impact." He sighed.

"Then when Percy managed to burn my body I found myself passing judgment and getting into Elysium. I came across Nico, roaming around in the Fields of Asphodel on my way past. He broke me out, roamed around Tartarus for a while, only felt like a couple of hours but in reality, I was gone for two months much to my surprise." He smiled slightly, getting lost in the firelight.

"But instead of the extremely shortened version, I feel you should all hear it all, bar a few private moments." He sighed, looking around to camp, starting properly from the beginning. He recounted his story throughout the next half an hour, explaining every little detail he could think as he looked over the camp, hearing the occasional murmur and gasps.

By the end, the camp sat in silence, gawking to the son of Poseidon, now a Minor god, something he'd yet to tell everyone.

"I hope no one ever has to go through that ordeal like I did. It nearly drove me insane." He frowned, looking to the floor. His eyes lifted addressing the camp once more. "The only thing you don't know, none of you beside's Thalia." He began, nodding for her to stand beside him. She smiled out over the camp, the two still getting used to everything regarding their new roles in life and how to act. "Is that we are now Minor gods. I am known as The Guardian of The Mist and Sea, and Thalia." He looked over to her, smiling reassuringly.

"I am the goddess of Clouds and Hunt." She smiled. The camp sat motionless and quiet, everyone staring in awe unknowing of what to do. They both stood in the middle of the Arena in shock, watching as the Camp and everyone around them knelt before them, the two dumbfounded on what was transpiring.

"You really don't need to do that, honestly don't ever do that to us. We are still one of you and it makes me and probably Thalia a little uncomfortable." He laughed, watching them all rise. "To us, you won't ever have to greet us like that, ever." He smiled reassuringly.

"You're a god?" Percy stated, looking at him in disbelief. Arc smiled, nodding in response. "Mums going to kill you." He laughed, walking over to his brother. Arc brought him into a hug as Chiron stammered, stamping his hoof once more and calling for dinner.

Dinner went by relatively quickly, everyone joking around once more now that the sombre moment at the campfire was over, not in a disrespectful way, but they all knew everyone was at peace. It was breakfast the next day that shocked a lot of campers, and afterwards.

They watched on in awe as undetermined campers were claimed throughout the day. Annabeth stood over blueprints she'd designed, as the entire camp ran around helping to build the extra cabins that needed building.

They watched in awe as Thalia and Arcmelos stood beside Percy and Annabeth, helping build the new cabins and extensions, as all of their respected crests glowed brightly overhead of campers. Apollo, Ares, Hephaestus, Demeter. And some that surprised a lot of people were from Minor gods, no one realising that they'd been bunking with children of Hecate and Nike.

They hoped that more would find their way here, Satyrs playing an even larger role than before in finding the newly claimed Demigods to bring them safely to Camp.

The cabins were finished over the next few days, some newly claimed Demigods finding their way in as Thalia and Arcmelos stood outside their newly built cabins, looking to each other.

"What are we going to do about these then, keep them out of courtesy? Where are we going to stay?" Thalia wondered, staring at the two beside each other, hers resembling Artemis and Zeus' Cabin combined.

"I have no idea, it's completely up to you. I'm not fussed in any way." Arc smiled lightly over his cabin, the look similar to Hecate's Cabin minus the magical runes on the outside. The Dark Mist was something not to be trifled with lightly, especially from those that didn't know how to properly use it if they were to use an inscription to summon something. The cabin was his home on the outskirts of New York only smaller and the colour pallet was different. The building was made from mahogany and a cobblestone chimney, summoning the materials from the Dark Mist, watching as the cabin pulsated occasionally with the Dark Aura.

"Well, let's not do anything just yet. Not jump into anything too serious like that, but eventually, maybe we can do one year me, then you, then us, or space them out entirely?" She smiled timidly, looking up to him. He smiled lightly to her as he brought her in, kissing her swiftly.

"Sounds like a plan." He smiled, rubbing his nose against hers.

"No way." He heard from behind, turning to see Clarisse stood gawking at the two. "I had no idea that you two were together as well." She smirked, realising she had some dirt on the two now.

"I can wipe it from anyone's mind you tell Clarisse, don't forget that." He grinned before turning serious. "But in all seriousness though, the Hunter's can never know of this, ever." She grumbled and nodded in understanding, before carrying on with what she was doing, the two making their way into his cabin.

"Speaking of the Hunter's, how will I get away with explaining to them if they see people coming in and out of it?" Thalia sighed, looking up to him.

"I'll just have to block it from their gaze if they ever come here, I mean. Theoretically, if you do have kids they won't be here until they turn what, ten? Eleven? Yes, they'll have Zeus' blood coursing through their veins too but, it shouldn't overly matter. Same goes for my kids if I was to have them. The Dark Mist around them will cover their scent long enough." He sighed, looking around at the room they stood in.

"What made you go for this decor, instead of something more towards Poseidon's?" She wondered, looking around at the relatively Darkish Cabin, finding comfort within it as they made their way to the Master Bedroom.

"Just felt more me. I'm two things mixed together, and I should imagine my kids, are going to be more focused with the Dark Mist than Poseidon's powers, maybe a mixture of the two, who knows." He sighed, sitting on the extremely comfortable bed, nothing like he'd ever felt before.

A thought occurred to him as he stood once more, looking over his Cabin interior, coming to the basement that led below towards a forge that had more than one function, enchanting weapons and for actually making enchanted weapons.

"I need to go to London, I haven't checked in on them in a while now and I think I need to make those new cabins there too. That and tell them our new role, it should be interesting." He grinned, the two vanishing in the Dark Mist and reappearing in Battersea. It was nearing dinner in London, as he stepped into the dining area, smiling at all the new faces.

"Arc? You're back!" Jamie smiled cheerfully. He stood from his spot, as he hugged his co-camp director patting him on his back. "It's good to see you, how did it all go?" He wondered as he looked over him, glancing up to him.

"It's good to see you too, all of you and the new faces." He started, grinning out to them all, Thalia beside him. "Has anyone turned up that isn't of the thirteen?" He wondered, looking to Jamie's confused expression.

"Twelve you mean." He stated, shaking his head before continuing. "No, why?" Arc smiled as he nodded for him to sit once more, pulling up a chair from the other end of the table, the two sitting opposite, smiling and thanking the Son and Daughter of Demeter, the two cooks handing them a platter piled high with food.

"It's thirteen now. The war went well and my brother Percy, made the gods recognise Hades on the council properly year-round and Minor gods as well. So it's technically twenty-two now." He smiled, glancing to Thalia.

"Now before I tell you this, I should have said this to the other Camp before I did but, do not bow or kneel or anything. You don't have to do that to Thalia and I, its a little awkward for us considering we were just like you not too long ago. She and I are now Minor gods and there are going to be a few new Cabins popping up around here to accommodate any new arrivals of the Minor gods and out of respect to Hades." He finished, taking a sip from his goblet as he watched Thalia through the corner of his eye take a bite of the pulled pork on her fork.

"Really?" Jamie stated, staring in awe along with the few campers around, counting they were now up to twenty-five. They both nodded, smiling kindly at them as they did before they began chatting as if nothing ever changed. Like they were never gods and back to being mortals once more, telling his camp the details of the war, including retelling his death once more.

The day wound to an end as Arc looked around at the newly copied Cabins he'd formed through the Dark Mist, copying the cabins from America that Annabeth designed looking to Jamie beside him.

"I want you to be the full-time head director of this camp." He began, as the two watched Thalia helping out with some young Demigods, helping them with their aim as they shot arrow after arrow at targets. "I will still come around to visit, but I can't interfere as much as I'd like to anymore meaning I can't overly look after camp. Yes, Dionysus does in America but that's because he's being punished." He sighed, looking to his friend. "You will do well and if you ever need anything just give me a call." He grinned, tapping his head.

"I will, thank you Arc. It was good to see you, and good to have you with us still." He grinned. Arc brought him into a hug once more as he said his goodbyes to the campers.

"I'll see you all soon, I'll pop in for a visit every so often." He grinned, looking around at them all. They both vanished in the Dark Mist once more, appearing in his newly built cabin as they talked aimlessly about anything and everything for the rest of that day.

They both awoke the next day, still finding their new situations odd to get used to, before making their way to the Dining Hall. he sat opposite his brother as usual as if nothing had changed, hoping it never would with him still being a Child of Poseidon before he changed.

"I'm going to visit mum and Paul today if you want to come with me." He smiled, placing the bacon in his mouth. Percy nodded, struggling to swallow the amount of food he'd shoved in his mouth.

"Yeah, I wanted to take Annabeth with me anyway, finally meet her under different circumstances." He smiled lightly, his eyes on Annabeth over Arc's right shoulder. As if sensing his gaze, she turned a small smile on her lips as she looked down to her plate, looking sheepish.

"How's it going between you two then? Good, I hope." He grinned, gulping down his drink. Percy nodded as he stuck another large mouthful of food into his mouth, struggling to talk with his mouth so full.

"Iss going goowd." He swallowed, as Arc shook his head, a smile on his face as his eye caught Thalia's on the Hunters table behind Chiron's, smiling sweetly over to him. "It's like a dream come true." He smiled sheepishly, his face reddening slightly. Arc laughed lightly, as he looked between the two, glancing at each other.

"It is about time though, the number of times I was trying to get the pair of you to admit it to yourselves over the years was ridiculous, and you both still didn't get them." Arc chuckled, resisting the urge to facepalm.

"You and Thalia?" Percy wondered, shoving the last few bits of pancakes into his mouth.

"We're going good, still adjusting to this new lifestyle. It's... Odd." He smiled to his brother, catching her eye once more. "We were discussing whether we would have Demigod kids yesterday." He grinned, getting the response from Percy he was expecting. He choked on his food, sputtering as he caught his breath.

"It's a bit early isn't it?" He said wide-eyed. Arc laughed at his brother, shaking his head as he looked to him.

"That's why we were discussing it, we don't know whether we want to fill our Cabins or not." He smirked, a laugh still bubbling in his chest.

Once they were finished, the two made their way to their cabins, packing everything they needed before Arc threw his keyring to the floor, watching as it turned to his usual Electric Blue Mustang. He still favoured his old form of travel, didn't care overly about Mist Travelling anymore, remembering he had the next ELMS race coming up soon.

"Why don't you two follow us in your car, Perce. Seen as you can drive it now." Arc grinned. He watched as Percy's eyes lit up, pulling out the key from his pocket.

"I completely forgot about that." He grinned, throwing the keyring down in the same manner as his brother, watching the Dark Blue Impreza form from the keyring. Annabeth and Percy stepped into his new car, Arc shrouding him in the Mist as he still technically didn't have his license.

They pulled up outside Arc's home, Arc pulling into the garage as he stepped through his garage door into the main hallway.

"I've actually missed this place, and I'm going to miss it." He muttered to himself as Thalia walked up beside him, his car morphing to his Rallycross Car, the default setting. "Right, I'm going to bring Paul and mum here, I have a lot of stuff to say to them. I'm going to give the keys to them." He explained to his brother.

"Really? Where are you going to stay in the meantime?" Percy wondered as he perched himself on the sofa, looking down at it as he remembered his brother lying there before burning him.

"It's a new sofa Perce, don't worry." He smiled. "And I don't really know, probably back at Camp in my Cabin or on Olympus, I'm really not too sure." He sighed, looking over to Thalia. "I imagine Thalia will be out with her Hunters most of the time like Artemis used to do unless she makes someone else Lieutenant, so it will be a bit pointless staying in an empty house on my own for her to return. So I'll give it to mum and Paul and you obviously, and stay elsewhere." He sighed.

He brought his mum and Paul around using the Dark Mist, their change in surroundings baffling them as they originally sat on their sofa in front of the TV, quickly checking on their whereabouts beforehand.

"So about that news I had to tell you before we rushed off the other day." He began, jumping right into it.

"What just happened?" Paul wondered looking disoriented and concerned about their change of surroundings.

"Sorry Paul, you're in my house, I've brought your car too, don't worry." He smiled sheepishly as everyone greeted his and Percy's parents. He told them the story of how everything happened, for what felt like the millionth time with the length of the story, before he got into the real news.

"So, Thalia and I are Minor gods now. And seen as there is no need for me to keep a hold of this place, I'd like you three to have it." He finished, looking to them all.

"Wait, you're a Minor god? When did this happen?" Sally wondered, her eyes shimmering. He sighed as he thought about how to put it.

"When Nyx instilled her Darkness within me, it created a storm in a sense inside of me, the Light and Dark fighting over dominance. The only way to stop that and for the two to coalesce into one, forming a more stable Dark Mist was to become a Minor god. If they hadn't the Darkness would've taken control and I would've been powerless to stop a side of me that would wipe out whoever sat atop of the Throne." He sighed. His mother was silent for a time, Paul staying out of the matter as he was relatively new to the whole situation and it felt it wasn't his place.

"Okay. I understand. It was either that or. Be killed, which Zeus didn't want to do as it would hurt Thalia." She breathed, nodding in understanding. He nodded as he leaned forward, pecking her forehead.

"Yeah, I didn't want to say that bit for fear of upsetting you further but." He sighed shaking his head as the room grew silent.

"So you want us to have this place?" His mothers wobbling voice broke through the quiet, clearing her throat after a while of thinking. He smiled softly as he nodded.

"A final gift, yeah. The house has no mortgage, low bill cost and good internet." He grinned, wiping a tear that rolled down his face. "I'll still come to visit and everything, maybe stay a while when I'm not needed on Olympus, or elsewhere." He smiled. His mother nodded, wiping a tear as she smiled in understand, looking to Thalia.

"Well, it's nice to meet you under a different circumstance, Annabeth too." She smiled at the two, the mood changing to a little more happy tone. He tuned out of the conversation a little while as he stood, going to prepare some lunch for them all. He travelled to the shops quickly, before returning in a heartbeat with fresh food, throwing everything away that needed to be before restocking the fridge.

He came back later with ham and cheese sandwiches, some crisps and drinks as he sat beside Thalia on the floor, laughing and joking as the previous tone was forgotten. A few days later he signed over the lease to his mum, helping them move their things in that was a necessity, leaving the rest to be sold with her apartment.

These last few days felt odd to him like someone was watching them. It didn't feel like the gods, he knew what that felt like and it wasn't this. The feeling was something ancient, waiting patiently to spring, his mind casting to Nyx, the only one that came to mind. He shivered at the thought, feeling a changeset in motion through the Darkness.

Something he couldn't see.

**This was the final rewrite of Arcs Tale, a new one starting soon after this following the events of Heroes of Olympus and potentially Trials of Apollo afterwards which I am still yet to read. Either way I hope you enjoyed this story and I hope you review if you did, follow and favourite to stay tuned for the next Tale. The next Tale will be released on Monday once I've written a few chapters in advance. Thanks for Reading.**

**Arcmelos.**


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